Making the case for pharmacogenomics in the management of mental health conditions

Berrou, Ilhem; Ramsunder, Adrusha; Palmer, Rachel

Abstract

Mental health conditions are the largest single cause of disability in the UK and among the top ten causes of disability worldwide. The prevalence of mental health conditions is increasing rapidly, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, they cost the UK economy £118bn each year and are associated with a profound impact on people, their families and communities. Antidepressants and antipsychotics are the most common treatments for mental illnesses; however, these medications are associated with troublesome and often significant adverse drug reactions. It may be possible to identify those patients most at risk of developing severe side effects and those who are unlikely to respond to treatment using their genetics. Pharmacogenomics investigates the effects of inherited gene differences on the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of drugs and, subsequently, drug exposure and therapeutic effects. This article reviews the management of mental illnesses, and the role of genetics in disease risk and response to treatment. It will also discuss pharmacogenomic testing, guidelines and some of the barriers to its implementation in clinical settings.

• Journal Article Type: Review
• Acceptance Date: Jan 5, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jan 20, 2023
• Publication Date: Jan 20, 2023
• Deposit Date: Jan 22, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 21, 2023
• Journal: The Pharmaceutical Journal
• Print ISSN: 0031-6873
• Publisher: Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 310
• Pages: 7969
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1211/PJ.2023.1.171747
• Keywords: Mental illness; antipsychotics; pharmacogenomics; pharmacogenomic testing; PGx
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10373457
• Publisher URL: https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/research/making-the-case-for-pharmacogenomics-in-the-management-of-mental-health-conditions