The human genome is a vast trove of information that determines how particular people turn out. While most of the finest details have yet to be resolved and understood, scientists arrived at an overall picture of the genome quite a few years ago now.
As a result of that important development and many ensuing ones since, medically relevant advances are now being made. A company founded by entrepreneur and technologist Jim Plante, for instance, now has made a number of genetic tests available that can address important health concerns.
Mental health. Far from being purely psychological, many mental health conditions become far more likely when certain genetic situations obtain. Understanding whether a particular person might be more susceptible to schizophrenia can make it possible to minimize the severity of the disease when it finally sets in. While psychiatrists have long used family histories to make such determinations, genetic testing is even more accurate and precise. Tests that can identify an inclination toward particular mental health problems are rapidly becoming mainstays of the healthcare industry.
Pain management. Millions of people suffer from chronic conditions that leave them grappling with severe pain on a regular basis. Prescribing medication for such patients is an inherently challenging exercise for physicians, as a small mistake could lead to dependence or worse. Once again, genetic information can be plumbed and used to help doctors arrive at the most suitable possible arrangements for particular patients.
With the same company now offering a number of different tests of equally significant value, genetic information is being used increasingly often to help contextualize and conquer particular health problems. That could easily end up being one of the most important treatment developments of recent times.