Neuropsychiatry genetics in Africa
Abstract
Across Africa, rising mental health needs coincide with rapid advances in genomics, digital health and continental policy reform. Yet research into the genetic, environmental and social determinants of neuropsychiatric illness remains sparse and underfunded. This review argues that African leadership in neuropsychiatric genetics can strengthen discovery, guide prevention and care, and support equitable precision public health, provided that investment in cohorts, informatics, governance and workforce development is sustained and scaled. By linking the advancement of genomics to health systems, biobanking and translational innovation, Africa can define globally-relevant models of inclusive mental health research, care and sustainable development.
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BibTeX
@article{iyegbe2026neuropsychiatry,
title = {{Neuropsychiatry genetics in Africa}},
author = {Conrad O. Iyegbe and Melek Chaouch and Itunuoluwa Isewon and Lerato Majara and Olatunde Ayinde and Michaela A O’Hare and Mary Mufford and Ofure A. Ubah and Amine Larnaout and Anje-Lore Grobler and Matsepo Ramaboli and Nto J. Nto and Emmanuel Alagbe and Sylvanus Toikumo and Fatima Elmugadam and Celia van der Merwe and Oye Gureje and Mounia Bensaid and Mohammed Abdulaziz and Said Boujraf and Alia Benkahla and Zané Lombard and Soraya Seedat and Niran Okewole and Kenneth A. Ae-Ngbise and Sian Hemmings and Aïcha Dahdouh},
journal = {Nature Communications},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-78057-z},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78057-z},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Neuropsychiatry genetics in Africa
AU - Conrad O. Iyegbe
AU - Melek Chaouch
AU - Itunuoluwa Isewon
AU - Lerato Majara
AU - Olatunde Ayinde
AU - Michaela A O’Hare
AU - Mary Mufford
AU - Ofure A. Ubah
AU - Amine Larnaout
AU - Anje-Lore Grobler
AU - Matsepo Ramaboli
AU - Nto J. Nto
AU - Emmanuel Alagbe
AU - Sylvanus Toikumo
AU - Fatima Elmugadam
AU - Celia van der Merwe
AU - Oye Gureje
AU - Mounia Bensaid
AU - Mohammed Abdulaziz
AU - Said Boujraf
AU - Alia Benkahla
AU - Zané Lombard
AU - Soraya Seedat
AU - Niran Okewole
AU - Kenneth A. Ae-Ngbise
AU - Sian Hemmings
AU - Aïcha Dahdouh
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
JO - Nature Communications
DO - 10.1038/s41467-026-78057-z
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78057-z
AB - Across Africa, rising mental health needs coincide with rapid advances in genomics, digital health and continental policy reform. Yet research into the genetic, environmental and social determinants of neuropsychiatric illness remains sparse and underfunded. This review argues that African leadership in neuropsychiatric genetics can strengthen discovery, guide prevention and care, and support equitable precision public health, provided that investment in cohorts, informatics, governance and workforce development is sustained and scaled. By linking the advancement of genomics to health systems, biobanking and translational innovation, Africa can define globally-relevant models of inclusive mental health research, care and sustainable development.
SN - 2041-1723
ER -