Overview

This groundbreaking volume synthesizes the results of the Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders, which yielded longitudinal data on more than 9,000 individuals. The authors trace how risk for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, antisocial behavior, alcoholism, and substance abuse emerges from the interplay of a variety of genetic and environmental influences. Major questions addressed include whether risk is disorder-specific, how to distinguish between correlational and causal genetic and environmental factors, sex differences in risk, and how risk and protective factors interact over time. The book also summarizes the conceptual underpinnings of the study and describes key methodological challenges and innovations.

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9781593853167

Table of Contents

Reviews

'The only thing I disagree with in this book is the authors' statement that there is no such thing as a definitive study - this is a definitive study! The authors present impressive findings about mental illness and drug use from research on a very large sample of adult twins studied over time. The book provides convincing evidence for the importance of genetics in psychopathology, but goes far beyond 'nature versus nurture.' Most interestingly, it is about the interplay between nature and nurture. It offers a nuanced perspective that should be required reading for anyone interested in the causes of mental illness.' - Robert Plomin, PhD, Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London, United Kingdom 'This very readable and most engaging book by world leaders in psychiatric genetics is an essential read. The book is based on one of the best twin studies of common adult psychopathology that has been done. It is really good to have the findings brought together in such an interesting way. But the book is much, much more than that. It provides an exceptionally clear understanding of the rationale and logic involved in multivariate genetic statistical modeling, and an equally lucid understanding of how this may be used to tackle vitally important questions about mental disorder. Most of all, it provides a lively, balanced, informative conceptual understanding of how genes and environment work together in causal pathways as they operate over time.' - Michael Rutter, MD, FRS, Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK 'Over the last 20 years, it is likely that no other single study has had a greater impact on academic psychiatry than the Virginia Adult Twin Study, which has been instrumental in ushering in the current genomics era in biological psychiatry. Kendler and Prescott have done the field an immeasurable service by placing the major findings from the study under a single cover. But this book is much more than a summary of their voluminous research record: it provides a methodological primer, discusses the challenges of observational science, and speculates on the future of psychiatric genetics. As such, it should be equally useful for the seasoned researcher interested in a concise summary of this important project and for the student who seeks an accessible introduction to the field.' - Matt McGue, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, USA

'The only thing I disagree with in this book is the authors' statement that there is no such thing as a definitive study - this is a definitive study! The authors present impressive findings about mental illness and drug use from research on a very large sample of adult twins studied over time. The book provides convincing evidence for the importance of genetics in psychopathology, but goes far beyond 'nature versus nurture.' Most interestingly, it is about the interplay between nature and nurture. It offers a nuanced perspective that should be required reading for anyone interested in the causes of mental illness.' - Robert Plomin, PhD, Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London, United Kingdom 'This very readable and most engaging book by world leaders in psychiatric genetics is an essential read. The book is based on one of the best twin studies of common adult psychopathology that has been done. It is really good to have the findings brought together in such an interesting way. But the book is much, much more than that. It provides an exceptionally clear understanding of the rationale and logic involved in multivariate genetic statistical modeling, and an equally lucid understanding of how this may be used to tackle vitally important questions about mental disorder. Most of all, it provides a lively, balanced, informative conceptual understanding of how genes and environment work together in causal pathways as they operate over time.' - Michael Rutter, MD, FRS, Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK 'Over the last 20 years, it is likely that no other single study has had a greater impact on academic psychiatry than the Virginia Adult Twin Study, which has been instrumental in ushering in the current genomics era in biological psychiatry. Kendler and Prescott have done the field an immeasurable service by placing the major findings from the study under a single cover. But this book is much more than a summary of their voluminous research record: it provides a methodological primer, discusses the challenges of observational science, and speculates on the future of psychiatric genetics. As such, it should be equally useful for the seasoned researcher interested in a concise summary of this important project and for the student who seeks an accessible introduction to the field.' - Matt McGue, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, USA

Author Information

Kenneth S. Kendler, MD, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics and Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA Carol A. Prescott, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

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