Environmental impact on mental health disorders

The idea that environmental factors play a major role in the etiology of psychiatric disorders dates back to ancient Greek medicine and continued to exert a profound influence on the past and recent history of psychopathology. Our current knowledge of the environmentalimpact onmentalhealthandillnesshas generally confirmed most of the historical insights (e.g., the pathogenic role of poverty, social isolation, breakup of affective relationships, violence and victimization). Yet, recentfindings of experimental and clinical studies have revolutionized our understanding of how and why environment is so important in the etiology of psychiatric disorders. The seven papers included in this special issue of Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology reflect the wide scope of current research on the impact of environmental factors on individual vulnerability to mental disorders.