Towards precision medicine: Application of the structural causal model in psychiatry

LEARNING POINTS The structural causal model (SCM) is a next-generation artificial intelligence method. It can transparently reveal the causal graph of a system, make predictions based on causal mechanisms, enable individualised inference and facilitate virtual intervention experiments.Each SCM method has its own advantages and limitations that should be considered in practice. As the field develops rapidly, further breakthroughs in both SCM methods and precision medicine are anticipated.Currently, there are only a few applications of SCM in psychiatry research. We encourage the use of it as a tool for advancing precision medicine in psychiatry.