Advancing Mental Health Research Through Strategic Integration of Transdiagnostic Dimensions and Genomics

Genome-wide studies are yielding a growing catalog of common and rare variants that confer risk for psychopathology. However, despite representing unprecedented progress, emerging data also indicate that the full promise of psychiatric genetics-including understanding pathophysiology and improving personalized care-will not be fully realized by targeting traditional dichotomous diagnostic categories. The current article provides reflections on themes that emerged from a 2021 National Institute of Mental Health-sponsored conference convened to address strategies for the evolving field of psychiatric genetics. As anticipated by the National Institute of Mental Health's Research Domain Criteria framework, multilevel investigations of dimensional and transdiagnostic phenotypes, particularly when integrated with biobanks and big data, will be critical to advancing knowledge. The path forward will also require more diverse representation in source studies. Additionally, progress will be catalyzed by a range of converging approaches, including capitalizing on computational methods, pursuing biological insights, working within a developmental framework, and engaging health care systems and patient communities.