Deciphering the Language in Our DNA and Leveraging the Discoveries Toward Improved Outcomes: Introduction to the...

Investigating genetic influences on speech and language development is a fairly new field fueled by interprofessional collaborations among investigators trained in genomics, communication sciences and disorders, or, in rare cases, both. The 2024 Research Symposium, titled "Genetics in Communication Sciences and Disorders," aimed to provide updates on cutting-edge research findings in disorders of speech sound production, speech fluency, spoken language, and written language. A second important goal was to make research methods and findings of genetics studies in speech and language disorders accessible to an audience with expertise in communication sciences and disorders. The articles in this forum are based on the symposium presentations.

The authors trace the history of investigating genotype-phenotype associations in their areas of specialty and discuss how technological advances have fueled recent insights in large participant samples. In addition, we show how insights from genetic studies of spoken and written language can be leveraged toward novel interventions based on principles of precision medicine, namely personalized and proactive approaches, with the goal of improved outcomes. A disclaimer is that genetic changes reflect only one of many sources of influence on the human capacity of verbal communication; many others-for instance microbiomes and the physical, social, and cultural environments-should also be acknowledged.