Psychiatric Genetics

Psychiatric Genetics is a concise reference that presents the complexities of this dynamic field in a clearly written, easily accessible format, with numerous tables and illustrations. Ten expert contributors offer a fascinating view of psychiatric genetics in a text that is thorough and scholarly yet also succinct and accessible.

The introduction summarizes the four paradigms in psychiatric genetics -- basic and advanced genetic epidemiology, gene finding, and molecular genetics -- and is followed by an overview of major conceptual and statistical issues. Psychiatric Genetics also discusses schizophrenia, where substantial progress in gene finding and molecular genetics has been made during the past two decades; anxiety disorders, where most of our information has come from basic and advanced genetic epidemiology and where we are just beginning to make advances using gene finding; substance use disorders, where the paradigm has shifted from sociological to genetic factors; and the role of genetics in development of conduct and antisocial behavior.

Psychiatric Genetics draws students, educators, and practitioners alike into the exciting world of psychiatric genetics with a lively discussion of its broad trends and of the strengths and limitations of its methods to provide insight into the roles of both genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of psychiatric and substance use disorders.