CHOP Researchers Use Deep Learning to Find Genetic Causes of Mental Health Disorders in Frequently Understudied African American Population

–The method could eventually lead to more personalized medicine approaches as well as properly diagnose patients with multiple disorders —

Excerpt from the Press Release:

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ –Minority populations have been historically under-represented in existing studies addressing how genetic variations may contribute to a variety of disorders. A new study from researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) shows that a deep learning model has promising accuracy when helping to diagnose a variety of common mental health disorders in African American patients. This tool could help distinguish between disorders as well as identify multiple disorders, fostering early intervention with better precision and allowing patients to receive a more personalized approach to their condition. The study was recently published by the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

Properly diagnosing mental disorders can be challenging, especially for young toddlers who are unable to complete questionnaires or rating scales. This challenge has been particularly acute in understudied minority populations. Past genomic research has found several genomic signals for a variety of mental disorders, with some serving as potential therapeutic drug targets. Deep learning algorithms have also been used to successfully diagnose complex diseases like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, these tools have rarely been applied in large populations of African American patients.

In a unique study, the researchers generated whole genome sequencing data from 4,179 patient blood samples of African American patients, including 1,384 patients who had been diagnosed with at least one mental disorder This study focused on eight common mental disorders, including ADHD, depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities, speech/language disorder, delays in developments and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). The long-term goal of this work is to learn more about specific risks for developing certain diseases in African American populations and how to potentially improve health outcomes by focusing on more personalized approaches to treatment.

Click the button below to read the entire Press Release:

Continue Reading The Press Release