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For decades, scientists seeking genes involved in mental illness reaped mainly frustration. But in recent months, painstaking analysis of the DNA of thousands of patients has yielded important, and surprising, insights into the roots of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism.

But "this is unprecedented progress," Dr. Insel said. "This is a time of real excitement in a field that up until now hasn't given us much to cheer about."

"To explore the West, it will take a lot of work, and a lot of money," he said, arguing that the field needs an additional $200 million or more to quickly unravel the basic "genetic architecture" of severe mental illness. "There is a lot left to do. But we know how to go about it now."

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