Systems biology and psychiatry - modeling molecular and cellular networks of mental disorders

Abstract

Biological psychiatry has more and more directed it's focus on the involvement of genes and molecules in mental health and disease. On these levels, new approaches in other medical fields are noticed that are collectively dubbed "Systems Biology". Conceptually, this new paradigm tries to view molecular interactions in cellular networks as dynamic, self-organizing events that eventually result in an ordered maintenance of the whole system. A great deal of applied mathematics is required in systems biology to set up and carry out computer modeling and simulation. In terms of psychiatric research, developing "systems biology of the neuron" could become a pivotal achievement for a better understanding of mental illness on the molecular level. A brief outline of imminent tasks and links between systems biology and biological psychiatry is presented.