Applications of pharmacogenetics in psychiatry: personalisation of treatment.

In spite of the lack of epidemiological information, pharmacogenetic research has produced evidence of the relationship between genes and treatment response. Genetic variants of metabolic enzymes are related to toxic reactions; polymorphisms in genes coding for drug-targeted neurotransmitter receptors influence therapeutic efficacy. Also, recent studies have shown that response to antipsychotic drugs can be predicted by looking at the individual's pharmacogenetic profile. In addition to providing the first evidence that treatment response can be predicted by looking at a core of key genes, these studies illustrate the feasibility of individualisation of psychiatric treatment.