Shifting the trajectory of therapeutic development for neurological and psychiatric disorders

Sci Transl Med. 2023 Nov;15(720):eadg4775. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adg4775. Epub 2023 Nov 1.

Abstract

Clinical trials for central nervous system disorders often enroll patients with unrecognized heterogeneous diseases, leading to costly trials that have high failure rates. Here, we discuss the potential of emerging technologies and datasets to elucidate disease mechanisms and identify biomarkers to improve patient stratification and monitoring of disease progression in clinical trials for neuropsychiatric disorders. Greater efforts must be centered on rigorously standardizing data collection and sharing of methods, datasets, and analytical tools across sectors. To address health care disparities in clinical trials, diversity of genetic ancestries and environmental exposures of research participants and associated biological samples must be prioritized.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Data Collection
  • Disease Progression
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Humans
  • Mental Disorders* / therapy