Furthering OCD Research through GEnetics (FORGE Study) (H-51746)

Mental illness represents a significant health burden to patients, caregivers and the health system. Despite significant work in the last two decades to understand the etiology of these disorders, the genetic causes of mental illnesses remain largely unknown. This study involves genomic analysis to identify variants that may cause psychiatric disorders including but not limited to bipolar disorder, tic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, depression, severe anxiety disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The primary goal of this study is to discover mutations in genes that are contributing to mental illness. If found, these mutations may eventually lead to new treatment mechanisms, improved and more objective diagnostic tools, and further research opportunities.