Psychiatric genetics is an exciting new discipline that explores how our minds and behavior are influenced by our genes. Increased interest in this area of medical genetics has been sparked by advances in molecular genetic techniques, the genome project, the neurosciences, the role of genes in somatic diseases, and the linking of specific genes with complex mental disorders. This Handbook is the definitive resource on this complex, and sometimes controversial, new field.

This handbook will be a concise guide to important topics in psychiatry with an international focus. It constitutes a pr(r)cis of the field of psychiatry with emphases on the therapeutic approach to the patient and on the proper diagnosis of major psychiatric disorders.All psychiatric diagnoses are encoded using both the US Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD). Treatment options for psychiatric disorders will include approaches used in developed nations in North America, Europe, Asia, as well as in the developing world. Furthermore an invaluable brief history of psychiatry allows readers to trace the beginnings of their chosen field and gain awareness of the ethical and legal contexts.This handbook will provide a comprehensive introduction to psychiatry appropriate for students, trainees, and practitioners seeking an international approac

Psychiatric Genetics provides the reader with a complete view of the methodological problems encountered in psychiatry genetics and proposes solutions to commonly occurring questions. The best European and American specialists have given a thorough review on the advantages and disadvantages of genetic epidemiological methods, the way to choose a genetic marker or a clinical interview and how to ascertain patients, unaffected relatives and controls and what should be the criteria to include a case or a control. New phenotypic methods are described focusing on candidate symptom and endophenotype approaches. Examples coming from cognitive neurosciences, biochemistry, electrophysiology and brain imaging techniques are reviewed. This book will serve as an essential handbook for psychiatrists, psychologists, and geneticists involved in the genetics of psychiatric disorders.

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

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

"Redei has created an outstanding compendium of genetics. Arranged as a dictionary, the book is almost an encyclopedic collection of terms & concepts ... The author has managed to define terms with appropriate mixtures of depth & detail for the researcher, along with clarity useful for the nonexpert." Choice, 1998

As more patients seek information about family risks of psychiatric illness -- an interest likely to increase as gene-identification studies are publicized -- most psychiatrists agree it is their role to discuss these issues but admit they are ill-prepared to do so. Psychiatric Genetics addresses that need as the first book to focus on clinical applications of genetics in psychiatry. It covers issues involved in genetic counseling, the interpretation of familial and genetic information for clinical use, information regarding risks associated with specific psychiatric disorders, risk/benefit considerations related to medication use during pregnancy, and the ethical and social implications of psychiatric genetic knowledge and research -- including the prospects for genetic testing. While other books have been written for the genetics community, this volume is addressed to practitioners: a clinically relevant resource that can help them understand the often bewildering flood of information about genetics -- information difficult to interpret, let alone integrate into practice -- and enable them to respond to patients' requests to predict the risk of recurrence of psychiatric illness or provide information about reproductive and pregnancy-related issues. Experts from psychiatry, genetic epidemiology, molecular genetics, genetic counseling, cognitive psychology, and ethics focus on issues that have received little attention elsewhere yet are of increasing importance to clinicians. Written at a level that assumes no particular expertise in genetics, the book features these immediately applicable benefits: It offers a framework for understanding and critically evaluating the psychiatric genetic research literature, enabling clinicians to better understand the meaning and limitations of genetic discoveries when patients raise questions about media reports. It provides a resource for clinicians who would like more information about the role and content of genetic counseling, outlining a typical counseling session while demonstrating how risks are estimated and discussed. It summarizes genetic aspects of major psychiatric conditions -- from childhood-onset disorders through psychotic, mood, and anxiety disorders to dementia -- as well as neuropsychiatric manifestations of other genetic disorders. It alerts clinicians to risk/benefit considerations related to medication use during pregnancy. It covers the ethical, legal, and social implications of genetic research and counseling, illustrating the dilemmas that arise with new advances. Whether used as a clinical guide, reference, or ancillary text, this book sets the standard for the application of psychiatric genetic knowledge in everyday practice. Psychiatrists, mental health clinicians, and genetic counselors will find it an essential resource for all patient encounters in which genetic issues arise.

Neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, alcoholism, substance abuse and others are one of the most debilitating illnesses worldwide characterizing by the complexity of the causes, and lacking the laboratory tests that may promote diagnostic and prognostic procedures. Recent advances in neuroscience, genomic, genetic, proteomic and metabolomic knowledge and technologies have opened the way to searching biomarkers and endophenotypes, which may offer powerful and exciting opportunity to understand the etiology and the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders. The challenge now is to translate these advances into meaningful diagnostic and therapeutic advances. This book offers a broad synthesis of the current knowledge about diverse topics of the biomarker and endophenotype strategies in neuropsychiatry. The book is organized into four interconnected volumes: “Neuropsychological Endophenotypes and Biomarkers” (with overview of methodological issues of the biomarker and endophenotype approaches in neuropsychiatry and some technological advances), “Neuroanatomical and Neuroimaging Endophenotypes and Biomarkers”, “Metabolic and Peripheral Biomarkers” and “Molecular Genetic and Genomic Markers”. The contributors are internationally and nationally recognized researchers and experts from 16 countries. This four-volume handbook is intended for a broad spectrum of readers including neuroscientists, psychiatrists, neurologists, endocrinologists, pharmacologists, clinical psychologists, general practitioners, geriatricians, health care providers in the field of neurology and mental health interested in trends that have crystallized in the last decade, and trends that can be expected to further evolve in the coming years. It is hoped that this book will also be a useful resource for the teaching of psychiatry, neurology, psychology and mental health.

While neurodevelopmental and genetic disorders are often diagnosed in childhood, understanding and managing the impact of these conditions is a lifelong challenge. This authoritative handbook presents cutting-edge knowledge to guide effective assessment and treatment throughout the adult years. Illuminated are the neurobiological bases and clinical characteristics of a broad range of conditions that affect learning and behavior as well as physical functioning and health. Following a consistent format, chapters comprehensively describe the developmental course of each disorder, the changing needs of adults, and ways to help them harness their strengths.

Philosophy has much to offer psychiatry, not least regarding ethical issues, but also issues regarding the mind, identity, values, and volition. This has become only more important as we have witnessed the growth and power of the pharmaceutical industry, accompanied by developments in the neurosciences. However, too few practising psychiatrists are familiar with the literature in this area. The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry offers the most comprehensive reference resource for this area ever published. It assembles challenging and insightful contributions from key philosophers and others to the interactive fields of philosophy and psychiatry. Each contributions is original, stimulating, thorough, and clearly and engagingly written - with no potentially significant philosophical stone left unturned. Broad in scope, the book includes coverage of several areas of philosophy, including philosophy of mind, science, and ethics. For philosophers and psychiatrists, The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry is a landmark publication in the field - one that will be of value to both students and researchers in this rapidly growing area.