ETHNICITY AND PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY - BRIDGING THE GAP

Clinical observations and survey findings during the past four decades have repeatedly suggested the existence of dramatic cross-ethnic and cross-national differences in the dose requirement and side-effect pro files of various psychotropic and nonpsychotropic medications. All maj or classes of psychotropic medications as well as a variety of other p harmacologic agents have been observed to have differential effects in different ethnic groups. Mechanisms responsible for these ethnic diff erences include pharmacokinetics (including protein-binding), pharmaco dynamics (receptor-coupled responses), and personality traits. Ethnic differences in pharmacokinetics have been demonstrated further to be c aused by genetic factors in some circumstances and environmental facto rs (such as diet) in others. These issues as well as their clinical im plications are reviewed briefly in this article.