Pharmacogenetics of the efficacy of antipsychotic drugs in schizophrenia

Abstract

Response to pharmacotherapy is highly variable, complex and difficult to predict. Genetic factors influence, at least partially, clinical response to drugs. It has been proposed that the use of genetic information may help to predict patient’s response to medications. In the last decades, pharmacogenetic studies have produced numerous reports of genetic associations with treatment efficacy and related side effects. However, only a limited number of these findings may have clinical utility in psychiatry. In this chapter, we will review pharmacogenetic findings in relation to common antipsychotic drugs used for the treatment of schizophrenia and discuss their clinical applicability.