DSM-5 and RDoC: progress in psychiatry research?

• Published in: Nature reviews. Neuroscience Vol. 14; no. 11; pp. 810 - 814
• Main Authors: Casey, B. J., Craddock, Nick, Cuthbert, Bruce N., Hyman, Steven E., Lee, Francis S., Ressler, Kerry J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.11.2013; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/1647/767/1424; 631/1647/767/722; 692/699/476; 692/700/1538; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Behavioral Sciences; Biological Techniques; Biomarkers; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical Research - standards; Biomedical Research - trends; Biomedicine; Bipolar disorder; Brain - physiopathology; Brain research; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Forecasts and trends; Genetic aspects; Genetic research; Genetics; Genomics; Humans; Mental disorders; Mental Disorders - physiopathology; Mental Disorders - psychology; Mental Disorders - therapy; Mental health; Mental illness; National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.); Neurobiology; Neuropsychological Tests; Neurosciences; Psychiatry; Psychiatry - standards; Psychiatry - trends; Sleep disorders; United States; viewpoint; United States; New York; United Kingdom > UK; United States > US; Wales
• ISSN: 1471-003X; 1471-0048; 1471-0048; 1469-3178
• DOI: 10.1038/nrn3621

The classification of psychiatric disorders in the DSM has been influential in neuroscience research but has also been subject to criticism. In this Viewpoint, six leaders in the field discuss whether the latest version, DSM-5, as well as the dimensional approach provided by the RDoC, will move psychiatry research forward. Neuroscience studies into psychiatric disorders generally rely on disease definitions that are based on the influential Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the fifth edition of which (DSM-5) was released earlier this year. Designed as a purely diagnostic tool, the DSM considers different disorders as distinct entities. However, boundaries between disorders are often not as strict as the DSM suggests. To provide an alternative framework for research into psychiatric disorders, the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has recently introduced its Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project. In the RDoC, five 'domains' each reflect a brain system in which functioning is impaired, to different degrees, in different psychiatric conditions. Nature Reviews Neuroscience asked six leading investigators for their thoughts on how DSM-5 and the RDoC will influence neuroscience research into psychiatric disorders.