Genetic testing in psychiatry: State of the evidence

Upon completion of the Human Genome Project, there was hope that psychiatry management would become more precise, and early identification, diagnosis, and treatment would be assisted by genetic testing. However, 15years have passed, and genetic testing in psychiatry is not yet mainstream. In this chapter, we provide a concise overview of the current evidence for genetic testing in psychiatry, along with recommendations for future work aimed at strengthening this evidence. Although there are formidable challenges to be addressed before genetic testing is ready for early identification or diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, the evidence base for genetic testing to assist with the optimization of pharmacological treatment is emerging, and has the potential to facilitate implementation into the clinic.