Rethinking schizophrenia: insights from genomics and implications for research
Recent genomic research has provided new insights into the aetiology and pathogenesis of schizophrenia. It highlights the role of genetic and environmental factors across the lifespan, emphasizing that schizophrenia is primarily a neuronal disorder. These findings have significant implications for future research and understanding the heterogeneity of the condition.
- ▪Genetic risk for schizophrenia is expressed throughout the lifespan, from fetal development to adulthood.
- ▪Cognitive deficits and structural brain abnormalities are better understood as markers of neurodevelopmental vulnerability rather than causal mediators.
- ▪Non-familial genetic and environmental factors significantly influence neurodevelopmental impairment related to schizophrenia.
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Download PDF Expert Review Open access Published: 21 May 2026 Rethinking schizophrenia: insights from genomics and implications for research Michael J. Owen ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4798-08621,2 & Michael C. O’Donovan ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7073-23791,2 Molecular Psychiatry (2026) Cite this article 1520 Accesses 3 Altmetric Metrics details Subjects GeneticsSchizophrenia AbstractRecent genomic research, considered in the wider context of knowledge from outside genomics, provides significant conceptual insights into the aetiology and pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The evidence indicates that genetic risk is expressed across the lifespan, from foetal development through to adulthood, and involves multiple neuronal types and brain regions.
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