Current Research on the Genetic Contributors to Schizophrenia

Abstract

In this article, we review genetic research on schizophrenia to illustrate current strategies, findings, challenges, and future directions in the study of a relatively common, severe psychopathological phenotype. Family, twin, and adoption studies indicate that overall genetic effects on schizophrenia are both important and complex. Although efforts to identify specific causal genetic variants have utilized the full range of molecular and analytic techniques, results have been modest. Several putative common genetic variants of small effect appear to be implicated along with some extremely rare variants of potentially large effect. It seems clear that most of the genetic contributors to the liability to schizophrenia, as well as nongenetic ones, remain to be identified. New strategies give reason for optimism that our understanding of the causes of this tragic disorder will continue to increase.