Pharmacogenomics and schizophrenia

Although antipsychotic drugs are effective in alleviating schizophrenic sym ptoms, individual differences in patient response suggest that genetic comp onents play a major role, and pharmacogenetic studies have indicated the po ssibility for a more individually based pharmacotherapy. The new field of p harmacogenomics, which focuses on genetic determinants of drug response at the level of the entire human genome, is important for development and pres cription of safer and more effective individually tailored drugs. DNA micro array (DNA chip) analysis enables genome-wide scanning, using the high-dens ity single nucleotide polymorphisms map. Pharmacogenomics will aid in under standing how genetics influence disease development and drug response, and contribute to discovery of new treatments. The rate of discovery of those p olymorphisms will depend on the quality of the drug response phenotype. Pro spective genotyping of schizophrenic patients for the many genes at the lev el of the drug target, drug metabolism, and disease pathways will contribut e to individualized therapy matching the patient's unique genetic make-up w ith an optimally effective drug. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.