[Possibility of a pharmacogenetic approach for prediction and personalized medication in major depressive disorder treatment]

The introduction of antidepressant drugs has revolutionized the treatment of mood disorders. However, even though sufficient doses of ADs have been used to treat depressive symptoms for sufficient periods, the treatment efficacy is considerably incomplete. The genetically determined investigation of pharmacological responses would be helpful to evaluate the best therapeutic tool for each depressed patient. However, the growing body of research in this field and heterogeneity across those studies could make it difficult for these candidates to be translated into treatment recommendations. Among other issues, the variety of ethnicity and therapeutic agents could play an important role as a confounder in pharmacogenetic results. To contribute to personalized medication for depression we should clarify the complicated, effect of these confounders. My colleagues and I reviewed the difference in genetic influence on antidepressant response between Asians and Caucasians based on a meta-analysis of pharmacogenetic studies. My colleagues and I also performed a randomized clinical trial (RCT) in Japanese subjects, "fluvoxamine vs paroxetine vs milnacipran," stratified by interesting genetic factors. The results showed that a pharmacogenetic approach could contribute, at least partially, to predict antidepressant response and personalized medication in depression with consideration of possible confounders.