The molecular medicine revolution and psychiatry: bridging the gap between basic neuroscience research and clinical psychiatry

Abstract

Recent years have witnessed a considerable increase in both fundamental knowledge and available experimental techniques in the basic neurosciences. Unfortunately, clinical translation of these findings vis-à-vis a direct benefit to patients who suffer from psychiatric diseases has not been as rapid. It is likely that this will change in the near future. We discuss some of the knowledge and expanding techniques of basic neuroscience, focusing on those that may be most promising regarding the future impact of the current molecular medicine revolution in psychiatry. Some of the more exciting findings (basic mechanisms, techniques, and clinical methodologies) that are expected to have a major impact on both our understanding of the biological underpinnings of psychiatric diseases and the development of novel and/or improved therapies include genetics, epigenetics, transcriptomics/proteomics, neuroimaging, animal models, and improved psychiatric endophenotypes.