Psychiatric Genetics: A Comprehensive Guide for Clinicians

As patients increasingly seek information about family risks of psychiatric illness, clinicians are faced with the challenge of providing accurate and reassuring guidance. Despite acknowledging the importance of discussing genetic risks, many psychiatrists admit to feeling ill-prepared to do so. Psychiatric Genetics addresses this knowledge gap, providing the first comprehensive resource on clinical applications of genetics in psychiatry.

Addressing the Need for Genetic Counseling

The interpretation of familial and genetic information for clinical use is a complex task, and clinicians need a reliable resource to guide them. This book offers a framework for understanding and critically evaluating the psychiatric genetic research literature, enabling clinicians to better comprehend the meaning and limitations of genetic discoveries when patients raise questions about media reports.

A Clinically Relevant Resource

Written by experts from psychiatry, genetic epidemiology, molecular genetics, genetic counseling, cognitive psychology, and ethics, this volume provides a clinically relevant resource that helps clinicians:

• Understand the genetic aspects of major psychiatric conditions, from childhood-onset disorders to psychotic, mood, and anxiety disorders, as well as neuropsychiatric manifestations of other genetic disorders.
• Estimate and discuss risks with patients during genetic counseling sessions.
• Make informed decisions about medication use during pregnancy, weighing risks and benefits.
• Navigate the ethical, legal, and social implications of genetic research and counseling.

A Valuable Resource for Clinicians

Whether used as a clinical guide, reference, or ancillary text, Psychiatric Genetics 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.

Published by American Psychiatric Publishing in 2009, Psychiatric Genetics is an invaluable resource for clinicians seeking to provide high-quality care to patients with psychiatric conditions.