health π§ DSM to finally use biology for mental health diagnoses
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), a key psychiatry reference, will integrate biology into its diagnoses for the first time. This change is being driven by the American Psychiatric Association, with a strategic committee running from May 2024 to August 2026. While there are no valid biomarkers for most mental illnesses currently, Alzheimer's now has a blood test approved by the FDA in March 2025. Researchers recognize that mental illnesses are complex behavioral syndromes influenced by genetics and environment. This shift aims to modernize the manual by incorporating nuanced neurobiological insights.