Endophenotypes in psychiatric genetics: Experience of ten years long study (Literature overview)

Endophenotypes, as innate characteristics of human organism and psyche, disclosing links with behavioral (psychological) signs in norm and in mental impairments, are regarded as an intermediate link between the action of the gene and its display at the behavioral level. The article presents the role of endophenotypes in study of genetic foundation of psychic diseases. It describes the specific signs of various levels regarded as potential endophenotypes for a number of diseases, primarily schizophrenia. The review provides examples of genes connected with endophenotypes of schizophrenia and some other diseases. It also provides estimation of interpreting potentials of the given notion