Neuropsychiatry genetics in Africa
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. In this review, the authors, examine how African neuropsychiatric genetics can connect genomic discovery, mental health systems and translational infrastructure. It highlights opportunities for African-led cohorts, governance and implementation to shape inclusive precision mental health.
Authors
- Conrad Osamede Iyegbe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4908-5183)
- Soraya Seedat (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5118-786X)
- Amine Larnaout
- Olatunde Olayinka Ayinde (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3896-226X)
- Sian M. J. Hemmings (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8461-1017)
- Saı̈d Boujraf (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8298-6464)
- Itunuoluwa Isewon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9653-8929)
- Oye Gureje (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0094-5947)
- Mohammed Abdulaziz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3809-6063)
- Nto Johnson Nto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9601-9870)
- Lerato Majara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9171-3115)
- Mary Sophia Mufford (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8409-9217)
- Adeniran Okewole (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1670-8516)
- Matsepo C. Ramaboli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5295-5277)
- Melek Chaouch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5868-4204)
- Comfort O. A. Okoh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5409-7731)
- Michaela A. O’Hare (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3988-3010)
- Mounia Bensaid (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7322-0627)
- Sylvanus Toikumo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6024-0693)
- Celia van der Merwe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0198-2184)
- Kenneth Ayuurebobi Ae-Ngibise (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5638-4814)
- Alia Benkahla (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9988-3250)
- Zané Lombard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7997-2616)
- Emmanuel Alagbe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1072-0234)
- Fatima Elmugadam
- Anje-Lore Grobler
- Aïcha Dahdouh
Institutions
- Broad Institute (US)
- National Health Laboratory Service (ZA)
- South African Medical Research Council (ZA)
- Mount Sinai Hospital (US)
- University of Bonn (DE)
- University of Khartoum (SD)
- University of Cape Town (ZA)
- University of Ibadan (NG)
- Covenant University (NG)
- University of the Witwatersrand (ZA)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Stellenbosch University (ZA)
- Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
- Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (ET)
- Max Planck Institute for Mathematics (DE)
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (DE)
- Institut Pasteur de Tunis (TN)
- FHU Neurovasc (FR)
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry (DE)
- Kintampo Health Research Centre (GH)
- Harvard Global Health Institute (US)
- Ghana Health Service (GH)
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research
- Tunis El Manar University (TN)
- University of Pennsylvania (US)
- Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University (MA)
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2026-10-06
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-78057-z
- Primary Topic
- Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00