Perspectives on improving patient care: Genetics, personalized medicine, and behavioral intervention

The current issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, combines nine stimulating articles in the first systematic effort to survey the possibilities of genetics research, personalized medicine, and behavioral intervention.

"Personalized medicine is being seen by many as the future of clinical treatment," says Alan G. Kraut, Executive Director of the Association for Psychological Science. "The articles in this special issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science identify several important areas of focus that must be considered by researchers, patients, and clinicians as the field advances."

Initiated by the Division of Behavioral and Social Research of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), this special issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science addresses the current opinion about the importance of genetically informed research designs in determining the precise targets, timing, and mechanisms of behavioral interventions.

"The intersection of behavior and genetics provides exciting research possibilities," said Richard Suzman, Ph.D., director of NIA's Division of Behavioral and Social Research. "If we can determine the extent to which we can tailor behavioral treatments to the unique genetic characteristics of an individual, then we will be on our way to the era of personalized medicine for a variety of conditions."

Articles in this issue include:

• Development, Social Relationships and Genetics: Appraising Apposition and Integration
• Genetic Thinking in the Study of Social Relationships: Five Points of Entry David Reiss
• Refining Intervention Targets in Family-Based Research Leslie D. Leve, Gordon T. Harold, Xiaojia Ge, Jenae M. Neiderhiser, and Gerald Patterson
• Genetic Tools for Causal Inference in Social Theory and Behavioral Intervention
• Mendelian Randomization for Strengthening Causal Inference in Observational Studies: Application to Gene × Environment Interactions George Davey Smith
• Causal Inference and Observational Research: The Utility of Twins Matt McGue, Merete Osler, and Kaare Christensen
• Genetics and Intervention Research Robert Plomin and Claire M.A. Haworth
• Targeting Behavioral Intervention and Understanding its Impact: Econometric and Genetic Models
• Early Adversity and Developmental Outcomes: Interaction Between Genetics, Epigenetics, and Social Experiences Across the Lifespan Frances A. Champagne
• Heterogeneity of Physical Function Responses to Exercise in Older Adults: Possible Contribution of Variation in the Angiotensin-1 Converting Enzyme (ACE) Gene? Barbara J. Nicklas
• Understanding the Early Origins of the Education-Health Gradient: A Framework That Can Also Be Applied to Analyze Gene-Environment Interaction Gabriella Conti and James J. Heckman
• Contemporary Modeling of Gene × Environment Effects in Randomized Multivariate Longitudinal Studies 4John J. McArdle and Carol A. Prescott