Preliminary studies suggested that two-thirds of the general public and more than 80 percent of mental health professionals would undergo genetic testing for mental disorders if available. Considering the concerns and ethical issues surrounding genetic information, particularly the potential to increase the stigma of mental disorders, the understanding by mental health professionals of genetic contributions to disease is essential. In this article, the characteristics of the multifactorial phenotypes involved in most psychiatric disorders were outlined using the statistical concepts of "heritability" and "regression to the mean". In conclusion, I propose not using the term "negative hereditary trait" to describe a family history of mental disorders.
Author's abstract
The End of the "Negative Hereditary Trait" in Mental Disorders: Perspective of a Clinical Geneticist Involved in Genome Analysis and Genetic Counseling
Health Support Center, Nagoya Institute of Technology
Psychiatria et Neurologia Japonica
123: 342-348, 2021
＜Keywords：stigma, multifactorial diseases, heritability, regression to the mean, polygenic risk scores＞
