Polygenic Scores and Onset of Major Mood or Psychotic Disorders Among Offspring of Affected Parents

What is it about?

This article looks whether genetic information helps predict mental illness in youth. The authors found that a score summing the genetic propensity to the personality trait neuroticism predicted depression, bipolar disorder or psychosis in a way that was independent of family history. They also found that scores summing genetic risk for schizophrenia, depression, and attention deficit predicted mental illness in a way that overlapped with known family history of mental illness. The authors conclude that genetic testing may help identify risk for mental illness early.

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