The Genetics Of Mental Disorders

A comprehensive, up-to-date resource providing information about genetic influences on disorders of behavior.

This volume offers a comprehensive and readable introduction to the science and practice of psychiatric genetics. The authors illuminate the complex interplay of genes and environmental factors involved in the causation and expression of frequently encountered disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and Alzheimer disease. Outlining important recent findings, the book describes not only what scientists have learned, but also how these discoveries have been made. Clinicians, students, and researchers will gain the basic knowledge they need to evaluate reports of genetic research, understand implications for treatment, and communicate genetic information to clients and families.

Addressing clients’ questions and concerns about the role of genetics in mental illness. As we learn more about how our biology and genes can play into the development of a mental health disorder, patients and their families are increasingly seeking answers to tough questions about common risk factors, the likelihood of recurrence, the need for genetic testing, and implications for future generations. A practical, go-to resource for all mental health clinicians, this guide explains just how to address these questions and concerns in a way that’s comprehensible and compassionate. Filled with case studies, sample dialogues, and question-and-answer examples, it is an essential roadmap for practitioners, helping them to demystify a complex issue for their clients and equip them with the accurate, reassuring information they need.

''Refreshing and informative....describe[s] the new complex research tools, directions and interpretations in a lucid and understandable fashion.'' --- Lancet, North American edition ''Beautifully crafted...The most significant contribution of this book involves its integration of areas that are not typically considered in genetic overviews.'' --- American Scientist, 1998 ''This book does an extraordinary job of making sense out of the many complex and controversial issues surrounding psychiatric genetics...It is worth the price.'' --- Journal of Genetic Counseling, Vol. 6, No. 3, 1997 This collection of essays clearly examines the complex nature of mental illness, focusing on the theory and state of the art of psychiatric genetics. This insightful volume is the first to present the diverse viewpoints of investigators, policy analysts, and psychiatric patients. Contributors explore the roles of genes in mental illness and describe various clinical, ethical, and social implications of psychiatric genetics. Additional discussions include trends in psychiatric genetic research, nature versus nurture in behavioral genetics, basic statistical principles of linkage analysis, and the many social domains relevant to psychiatric genetics.

Psychiatric Genetics: A Primer for Clinical and Basic Scientists offers a straightforward introduction to the essentials of psychiatric genetics, covering basic epidemiology, recruitment for human studies, phenotyping strategies, formal genetic and molecular genetic studies, statistical genetics, bioinformatics and genomics, pharmacogenetics, the most relevant animal models, and biobanking. Each chapter begins with a list of "take home" points that summarizes content, followed by a brief overview of current knowledge and suggestions for further reading.

From reviews of the hardback:'It is timely to see such an excellent textbook... Aimed at graduate level students, this book is complex enough to be thorough, but clear with enough background to be accessible... the coverage is comprehensive and the flow logical... The text is uniformly well written and achieves a successful integration.' -The Lancet'A good introduction and reference book for professionals interested in psychiatric genetics such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and neuroscientists... the book you want to have on your bookshelf to look up material and obtain a complete and balanced picture of the field.' -Psychological MedicineRevised for paperback edition, with new appendicesGenetics promises to provide one of the most powerful approaches to understanding the functional pathology of the human brain. This book presents a critical review of the evidence for a genetic contribution to common psychiatric conditions and the rarer single-gene disorders that may have psychiatric presentations.The first section of the book introduces the reader to molecular biology and the techniques of molecular genetics. The coverage then moves on to consider the genetics of normal and abnormal development, followed by a look at the genetics of abnormal behaviour in adults. This section includes, amongst others, consideration of personality disorders, schizophrenia and the dementias. The final section considers the applications of the work and covers issues such as counselling and ethics, closing with a look to the future.The editors are internationally renowned figures in this field and they have invited a team of equally eminent chapter authors.Readership: Psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, geneticists, neuroscientists and neurologists

This volume offers a comprehensive and readable introduction to the science and practice of psychiatric genetics. The authors illuminate the complex interplay of genes and environmental factors involved in the causation and expression of frequently encountered disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and Alzheimer disease. Outlining important recent findings, the book describes not only what scientists have learned, but also how these discoveries have been made. Clinicians, students, and researchers will gain the basic knowledge they need to evaluate reports of genetic research, understand implications for treatment, and communicate genetic information to clients and families. Throughout, the authors give special attention to the critical ethical and professional concerns raised by new and emerging technologies.

With recent studies using genetic, epigenetic, and other molecular and neurochemical approaches, a new era has begun in understanding pathophysiology of suicide. Emerging evidence suggests that neurobiological factors are not only critical in providing potential risk factors but also provide a promising approach to develop more effective treatment and prevention strategies. The Neurobiological Basis of Suicide discusses the most recent findings in suicide neurobiology. Psychological, psychosocial, and cultural factors are important in determining the risk factors for suicide; however, they offer weak prediction and can be of little clinical use. Interestingly, cognitive characteristics are different among depressed suicidal and depressed nonsuicidal subjects, and could be involved in the development of suicidal behavior. The characterization of the neurobiological basis of suicide is in delineating the risk factors associated with suicide. The Neurobiological Basis of Suicide focuses on how and why these neurobiological factors are crucial in the pathogenic mechanisms of suicidal behavior and how these findings can be transformed into potential therapeutic applications.