Psychiatric Disorder Biomarkers: Discovery, Integration, and Translation Toward Precision Mental Health

Diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders currently rely heavily on clinical symptom assessment, with limited incorporation of objective biological indicators. Advances in high-throughput omics, neuroimaging, and computational analytics have opened new opportunities for identifying and validating biomarkers that capture the biological basis of mental illness.

This Research Topic aims to bring together interdisciplinary efforts to advance the discovery, integration, and clinical translation of biomarkers for psychiatric disorders. We particularly welcome studies leveraging large-scale data mining, multi-omics integration, and artificial intelligence approaches to uncover the biological signatures underlying disease subtypes, early diagnosis, and treatment response prediction, contributing to the development of precision psychiatry.



Psychiatric disorders are highly heterogeneous and multifactorial, involving complex interactions among genetic, environmental, and neural circuit factors. Traditional classification systems (e.g., DSM and ICD) often fail to reflect these underlying biological mechanisms. Recent progress in identifying objective biomarkers—such as polygenic risk scores, connectomic measures, and peripheral metabolic profiles—has begun to address these challenges, paving the way for biologically informed subtyping and personalized therapeutic strategies.



We welcome submissions of Original Research, Methods, Reviews, and Perspectives that include, but are not limited to, the following themes:

 Discovery of genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic biomarkers in psychiatric disorders



 Quantitative neuroimaging biomarkers using multimodal approaches (e.g., fMRI, DTI, PET)



 Validation of fluid biomarkers (e.g., blood, CSF) in translational and clinical settings



 AI- and machine learning–driven integration of multi-omics data for biomarker prioritization



 Application of biomarkers in disease stratification, treatment selection, and prognosis prediction



 Transdiagnostic and dimensional approaches to biomarker research



We encourage contributions that propose innovative methodologies, integrative analyses, or critical reviews aimed at accelerating the translation of biomarker discoveries into clinical practice.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Biomarkers; Psychiatric Disorders; Genetics; Neuroimaging; Clinical Translation; Precision Medicine; Multi-Omics Integration; Artificial Intelligence

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.