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Unraveling Psychiatric Heterogeneity: Integrating Genes, Circuits, and Immunity

Poster Session F - Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 8:00 – 10:00 am PDT, Fairview/Kitsilano Ballroom

Shreya Kumar¹ (); ¹Mind Forward Foundation (nonprofit initiative under development)

Psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and generalized anxiety disorder are still diagnosed through symptom-based systems like the DSM and ICD, which overlook the biological heterogeneity within diagnoses. Patients sharing the same diagnosis often differ in symptoms, treatment response, and neurobiology. This unseen heterogeneity has delayed progress, preventing precision medicine in psychiatry This study proposes a multi-dimensional framework reconceptualizing psychiatric illness as the emergent product of genetic, neurocircuit, neuroimmune, and phenotypic interactions. Analyzing findings from over 40 studies spanning from GWAS, polygenic risk scores, neuroimaging (fMRI, DTI), and immune profiling, this paper bridges categorical diagnosis with dimensional biology to further advance precision psychiatry. The framework examines four domains of heterogeneity: (1) Genetic, identifying pleiotropic loci and shared heritability across disorders; (2) Neuroimaging, highlighting variable default mode network connectivity and gray matter alterations; (3) Neuroimmune, detailing cytokine dysregulation and microglial activation underlying immunophenotypic subtypes ; and (4) Clinical, exploring how sex, trauma, and age of onset shape divergent symptom clusters. Using behavioral datasets, symptom patterns were mapped to illustrate how trauma modifies psychiatric presentation. The resulting model identifies biologically coherent “biotypes” that transcend traditional categories, such as subgroups sharing elevated IL-6, reduced prefrontal activation, and immune-linked polygenic risk—enabling targeted, equitable interventions. Finally, the study addresses ethical and infrastructural challenges of multimodal data integration, advocating open-access consortia and policy provision. By aligning molecular biology with human narrative, this paper changes the standpoint on psychiatry and highlights the importance of systems-based science of the individual mind.

Topic Area: EXECUTIVE PROCESSES: Monitoring & inhibitory control