Genetic analysis in neurology: the next 10 years

In recent years, neurogenetics research had made some remarkable advances owing to the advent of genotyping arrays and next-generation sequencing. These improvements to the technology have allowed us to determine the whole-genome structure and its variation and to examine its effect on phenotype in an unprecedented manner. The identification of rare disease-causing mutations has led to the identification of new biochemical pathways and has facilitated a greater understanding of the etiology of many neurological diseases. Furthermore, genome-wide association studies have provided information on how common genetic variability impacts on the risk for the development of various complex neurological diseases. Herein, we review how these technological advances have changed the approaches being used to study the genetic basis of neurological disease and how the research findings will be translated into clinical utility.