According to recent research undertaken in the US, there is a strong link between the body’s gene compositions and the type of antidepressant medications that are suitable for patients. The study of this gene-treatment correlation is referred to as Psychiatric Pharmacogenomics, and has proven to be a vital development in the administering of effective antidepressant treatment.
Whilst it is widely known that some genes such as the serotonin transporter gene is crucial to the elevation of moods within people and the subsequent reduction in depression, this research has focused on how other genes influence mood and depression. Recently, in England, a study revealed that a gene called Interleukin-2, responded to the antidepressant- Celexa.
A similar study has recently been undertaken at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, and has focused on trying to identify a higher level of gene variants, in order to foster a greater understanding on how the nuances of gene composition can affect the outcome of antidepressant treatment routines. Another aim of the research: is to try and identify which genes are associated with adverse side-effects, which can include anything from minor physical symptoms to more serious conditions including hyper-mania.
Another key aim of the research is to try and identify the link between medication, gene-variation and impulses that patients sometimes have pertaining to suicide. Whilst it is relatively infrequent, antidepressant medications have been known to instill suicidal thoughts within patients, and this has been a major concern for mental-health practitioners for many years. As a result of this research, considerable progress has been made in determining the link between gene-variation and how it can interact with antidepressants in order to provoke such fatalistic thoughts.
Finally, this research can also help to inform the design of future anti-depressants, by revealing a much greater understanding of how they interact with the body’s processes and genes.
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