Genetics flag mental health risks years before symptoms

According to World Health Organization data, more than one billion people live with a mental disorder. Depression alone affects 5.7% of adults. Bipolar disorder affects about 1 in 150 adults (40 million). Against this backdrop, researchers are using large genetic studies to flag who is at higher risk years before the first clinical sign. A recently posted study in the journal Genes outlines how precision medicine—combining genomics with environment and lifestyle—can move care from reaction to prevention.

Integrating Psychiatry and Genomics

Genome-wide association studies scan the DNA of hundreds of thousands of people, using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and find common variants that nudge risk for complex conditions. Each variant adds a tiny effect. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) represent the total number of genetic variants that an individual has to assess their heritable risk of developing a particular disease. In psychiatry, the best-studied PRS come from schizophrenia and major depression consortia, and they already link with a broad set of health records in phenome-wide analyses.

Although PRS are not diagnostic, they are risk indicators that work best in populations and research cohorts. They open a path to earlier monitoring and targeted prevention once combined with clinical and environmental data. As Oxford University statistical geneticist Professor Naomi Wray puts it, "PRS provide a solid foundation stone to build a biomarker risk scheme."

From Reactive to Early Care

Clinicians have long waited for symptoms before acting. Genomic tools let care teams identify higher-risk individuals sooner, then direct scarce resources to those who benefit most. In large health-record studies, schizophrenia PRS captures a measurable slice of risk and helps predict prognosis and co-occurring conditions, with depression and bipolar showing similar, though smaller, patterns.

The Genes research insights lay out how this fits a precision model: start with genomics, add exposures, digital phenotypes, regular check-ins over time, and test interventions that match a person's profile. It points to care pathways where risk tiers trigger earlier counseling, prompt check-ins after red-flag events, and lifestyle plans tuned to stress biology. That is a practical bridge from sequencing to real-world benefit.

Current PRS explain only a fraction of risk, and performance varies by ancestry because most discovery datasets over-represent people of European descent. A Lancet Psychiatry perspective cautions health systems not to overclaim clinical utility yet and urges investment in diverse cohorts, standards, and evaluation frameworks before routine screening. That sober view protects patients and keeps research on a responsible track.

As leading groups stress, real progress hinges on both solid evidence and fair access to it. Firstly, build datasets that mirror local populations; polygenic risk scores trained mostly on Europeans lose accuracy in other groups. Second, always interpret those scores alongside clinical context—family history and real-world factors. Lastly, the combined approach should be validated in prospective studies before routine use.

BGI Genomics supports this translational arc with human whole genome sequencing (WGS) for research programs. Whole-genome data capture rare variants with large effects and the common variants that power PRS, giving investigators a single foundation for discovery and risk modeling. Teams working on psychiatric genetics use WGS to refine gene panels, improve imputation for PRS, and detect structural variants that traditional panels can miss.

That foundation only matters if it serves people. Picture a youth mental-health network enrolling teens with a family history: a one-time genomic sample informs risk scores; with consent, counselors add context like sleep and school stress. A small group shows higher risk and gets earlier check-ins, faster access to therapy, and family guidance—more lead time, fewer crises.

Genomics won't replace care, but it can start the clock early to help arrive on time. With solid science, diverse cohorts, and careful ethics, genetic markers can move us from one-size-fits-all to targeted prevention—predicting risk and protecting health before symptoms appear.

About BGI Genomics Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS)

BGI Genomics Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) service detects the complete genome sequence at one time and provides a high-resolution, base-by-base view of the genome. This enables researchers to see both large and small variants and identify potential causative variants for further follow-on gene expression or regulation mechanism studies.

About BGI Genomics

BGI Genomics, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, is the world's leading integrated solutions provider of precision medicine. Its services cover more than 100 countries and regions, involving more than 2,300 medical institutions and 10,000 employees worldwide. In July 2017, as a subsidiary of BGI Group, BGI Genomics (300676.SZ) officially began trading on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.