Pharmacogenetics in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): a literature review

Abstract

The inconsistency in each patient’s individual response to treatment with anxiolytic drugs is directly related to the genetic variations involved. This variability infl uences the therapeutic eff ects and can also dictate the adverse reactions of therapy; therefore, a dose that is benefi cial for one individual may be ineff ective and/or unsafe for another. The treatment of generalized anxiety is usually performed with antidepressant drugs, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). Heritability patterns related to the metabolism processes of these drugs can infl uence the outcome of therapy. This work gathered literature data on the association of candidate genes with the response to the treatment of anxiety and analyzed the perspectives of  pharmacogenetics’s application in treating this pathology. The response to treatment with anxiolytics, such as SSRIs, depends on the variability of genes encoding proteins involved in the role of serotonin in the brain. Through studies, it was possible to detect these variations, and several showed the importance of pharmacogenetics. In addition, some of the genes related to SSRIs pharmacogenetics are already known (like CYP2D6, CYP2C19, CYP2C9), and this knowledge can be applied in clinical practice to personalize patients’ treatment.