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Genetics and Modern Environmental Factors Influencing Psychiatric and Psychological Diseases and Disorders

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 August 2020) | Viewed by 784

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues

Although the evidence for a genetic contribution to many psychiatric and psychological diseases and disorders is persuasive and powerful, it is assumed that modern environmental factors (e.g., stressful lifestyle, new family structures, new sexual attitudes, new internet and social networking, modern technological devices, e-medicine, e-health, modern games, modern virtual social and romantic relationships; new educational and social requirements and orders, etc.) could also have a role and influence. It is also assumed that non-inheritable factors consist entirely of stochastic events affecting gene expression or structure. We propose that an alternative evolution-based approach or  framework should be further investigated, with a special focus on the notion that gene–environment interactions and rare genetic variants constitute most of the genetic contribution to mental illness. Common mental illness with mild reproductive disadvantage is likely to have a large contribution from interactions between common genetic variants and environmental exposures.

New studies suggest that there is a tendency towards the occurrence of some new mental and psychological disorders of Internet addiction. Past studies have indicated that some patterns of Internet and social media use and addiction are associated with loneliness, shyness, anxiety, depression, and self-consciousness. Some Internet users are addicted to the Internet in much the same way that others became addicted to drugs or alcohol, resulting in academic, social, and occupational impairment. Thus, there is an urgent need of research by psychologists, psychiatrists, and sociologists.

In this Special Issue we examine the role of genes and the modern environment in psychiatric, brain, and psychological diseases and disorders (e.g., in schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, hyperactivity, and other mental illnesses). This Special Issue assumes the following:

(a) Some forms of mental and psychological diseases and disorders are mainly genetic, other forms are mainly environmental, and both are relatively common.

(b) Symptoms such as schizophrenia are wholly genetic, and apparent genetic determination of less than 100% is explained by observer errors, which may include incorrect specification of the phenotype.

(c) A genetic predisposition to different mental and psychological diseases and disorders and relevant environmental stresses are necessary to produce the disorder.  

(d) The only constant feature in diseases such as schizophrenia, hyperactivity, bipolar affective disorder, and other mental illnesses is a genetic component, and non-genetic factors consist entirely of stochastic events affecting gene expression or structure.

This Special Issue seeks papers on the correlation between mental and psychological health and genetics and our modern environmental factors, new clinical approaches, and epidemiological surveys.  High-quality systematic reviews related to these matters are also welcome. I would be very happy if this Special Issue serves as a trigger for considering more effective ways of approaching and understanding mental and psychological illnesses, genetics, and our modern environment. The main goal is to encourage prevention activities, with a focus on the area of psychological illnesses and disorders and the responsible use of our modern environment including modern technologies, family structure, working conditions, relationships, and lifestyle.

Prof. Dr. Mosad Zineldin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Mental health
  • heritability
  • psychology
  • modern diseases genetic influences
  • human behavioural
  • disorders
  • gene-environment interaction and correlation
  • nonshared environment
  • psychiatric genetics

Published Papers

There is no accepted submissions to this special issue at this moment.
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