Language

English

Publication Date

5-1-2025

Journal

Nature Genetics

DOI

10.1038/s41588-025-02127-z

PMID

40175716

PMCID

PMC12133068

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

11-1-2025

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Author MSS

Abstract

Psychiatric disorders are highly heritable and polygenic, influenced by environmental factors and often comorbid. Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWASs) through consortium efforts have identified genetic risk loci and revealed the underlying biology of psychiatric disorders and traits. However, over 85% of psychiatric GWAS participants are of European ancestry, limiting the applicability of these findings to non-European populations. Latin America and the Caribbean, regions marked by diverse genetic admixture, distinct environments and healthcare disparities, remain critically understudied in psychiatric genomics. This threatens access to precision psychiatry, where diversity is crucial for innovation and equity. This Review evaluates the current state and advancements in psychiatric genomics within Latin America and the Caribbean, discusses the prevalence and burden of psychiatric disorders, explores contributions to psychiatric GWASs from these regions and highlights methods that account for genetic diversity. We also identify existing gaps and challenges and propose recommendations to promote equity in psychiatric genomics.

Keywords

Humans, Latin America, Genome-Wide Association Study, Mental Disorders, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genetic Variation, Caribbean Region, Genomics, Latin America, Caribbean, Psychiatric genetics, Genome-Wide Association Study, Diversity, Psychiatry, Mental Health, Admixture

Published Open-Access

yes

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