Refining psychiatric genetics: from 'mouse psychiatry' to understanding complex human disorders.
Investigating the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders is a complicated and rigorous task for psychiatric geneticists, as the disorders often involve combinations of genetic, behavioral, personality, and environmental factors. To nurture further progress in this field, a new set of conceptual tools is needed in addition to the currently accepted approaches. Concepts that consider cross-species trait genetics and the interplay between the domains of disorders, as well as the full spectrum of potential symptoms and their place along the pathogenetic continuum, are particularly important to address these needs. Here, we outline recent concepts and approaches that can help refine the field and enable more precise dissection of the genetic mechanisms contributing to psychiatric disorders.
Laporte
Justin L
JL
Laboratory of Clinical Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1264, USA. avkalueff@inbox.ru
Ren-Patterson
Renee F
RF
Murphy
Dennis L
DL
Kalueff
Allan V
AV
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D010641:Phenotype; D012931:Social Environment; D013045:Species Specificity