Most psychiatric gene identification studies are carried out in adult samples, particularly for disorders in which the age of onset occurs midway through or late in life. However, the same genetic variants that are linked to onset of symptoms when a person is 20 or 30 or 40 years old have existed in their DNA since embryogenesis. What have they been doing all that time? One important area of post-GWAS study is to trace the developmental pathways by which these identified genetic variants exert their influence. While focusing post-GWAS research on medication development can work as an approach to treating disorders after their onset, understanding their earlier manifestations could allow for early prevention/intervention efforts and a means of identifying at-risk individuals before they experience problems.
