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In this paper the author presents the classification of affective disorders, proceeds with the importance of basic genetic research, bit does not refer to the epidemiological studies. Different methods of genetic mapping and some problems connected with it are discussed. Three hypotheses about the location of a single major locus for affective disorders are presented, i.e. the chromosome X, 11 and 6. The possibility of polygenic transmission is mentioned as well as the role of life events in the aethiology of bipolar affective disorders and unipolar depression. Modern genetic methods will facilitate the identification of hereditary factors and risk factors for affective disorders, especially in families afflicted with this form of endogenous psychoses.