M17. DECODING AFRICA’S PSYCHIATRIC GENOMICS TRAJECTORY: EVIDENCE FROM A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF RESEARCH PROGRESS AND GAPS (2007–2025)

International audience BackgroundPsychiatric genomics holds transformative potential for mental health research and care in Africa, yet the continent remains underrepresented in global efforts. This review provides a continent-wide synthesis of psychiatric genomics research in Africa, highlighting methodological trends, regional disparities, emerging areas of interest, and opportunities for growth.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines, searching PubMed and Scopus on January 7, 2025, for English-language, peer-reviewed articles published between 2007 and 2025. The search targeted research on major psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, autism, ADHD) in African populations. We combined neuropsychiatric terms with genomics-related keywords (e.g., genome, genetics, GWAS, epigenetics, polygenic risk) and geographic terms, including “Africa,” “African,” and all 54 African countries. We excluded non-research publications such as editorials, letters, news, and reviews. The search queries were comprehensive, incorporating MeSH terms and Boolean logic to capture relevant genomic studies addressing neuropsychiatric conditions in Africa while minimizing irrelevant results and focusing on original research articles.ResultsOut of over 1941 records identified, 585 met the inclusion criteria. Southern Africa remained the most represented region, but notable increases in studies from North and West Africa were observed. Schizophrenia and depression continued to dominate research focus, while increasing attention was evident in bipolar disorders, autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability and substance use disorders. Methodologically, we observed a marked rise in studies employing polygenic risk scores, transcriptomics, microbiomics, epigenomics and machine learning-based predictive modeling. The majority of genetic material was sourced from blood, but a growing number of studies leveraged buccal swabs, saliva, and postmortem brain tissue. Several studies also incorporated environmental and social variables, signaling a shift toward integrative, multidimensional models of psychiatric disease in African contexts.DiscussionThis review reveals significant expansion and diversification of psychiatric genomics research across Africa over the past two decades. Despite clear progress, disparities in geographic representation and adoption of advanced methodologies persist. These findings underscore the urgent need for inclusive funding strategies, regional capacity-building, and collaborative frameworks that can support equitable and Africa-centric genomic research in psychiatry.