1 - Genes and psychopharmacology: exploring the interface

Summary

OVERVIEW

Pharmacogenetics is the study of genetically determined, interindividual differences in therapeutic response to drugs and susceptibility to adverse effects. The principal objective of pharmacogenetics is to identify and categorize the genetic factors that underlie these differences and to apply these observations in the clinic. Individualization of drug treatment to the specific patient is thus a core objective of pharmacogenetics. The goal of this book is to provide a basic conceptual framework for the pharmacogenetics of psychotropic drugs, to address major issues in the design and implementation of studies that seek to advance the field and to provide an overview of findings that have emerged so far. In this introductory chapter, the rationale for psychopharmacogenetics is considered, a brief historical perspective is provided, some of the pivotal concepts and terms are defined, important issues in the design and interpretation of pharmacogenetic studies in psychiatry are considered and optimistic predictions for the future are evaluated. The chapter concludes with a brief overview introducing the reader to the various sections of the book.

Introduction

For as long as medicine has been practiced, physicians have known that patients respond differently to the therapeutic agents that they are administered, even though there are no obvious differences in the nature or severity of their illnesses. Therefore, individual or illness characteristics that might aid the physician in choosing an appropriate treatment have long been sought.