Psychopharmacogenetics is a new area of investigation originating from the application of genetics to psychopharmacology. This discipline attempts to identify susceptibility genes which are responsible either for the drug response of a treatment or for the side effects of different psychopharmarcological drugs. The present article will discuss, after a brief historical background, some examples of gene variants which are associated with the therapeutic response of antipsychotic and antidepressive drugs.
Psychopharmacogenetics; drug responders; susceptibility genes