Polymorphisms in Schizophrenia-Related Genes Are Potential Predictors of Antipsychotic Treatment Resistance and Refractoriness

Alejandra Zazueta, Tito Castillo, Álvaro Cavieres, René González, Maximiliano Abarca, Rodrigo R. Nieto, Javier Deneken, Cristian Araneda, Pablo R. Moya*, M. Leonor Bustamante*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Approximately 30% of individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) are resistant to conventional antipsychotic drug therapy (AP). Of these, one-third are also resistant to the second-line treatment, clozapine. Treatment resistance and refractoriness are associated with increased morbidity and disability, making timely detection of these issues critical. Variability in treatment responsiveness is partly genetic, but research has yet to identify variants suitable for personalizing antipsychotic prescriptions. Methods: We evaluated potential associations between response to AP and candidate gene variants previously linked to SZ or treatment response. Two groups of patients with SZ were evaluated: one receiving clozapine (n = 135) and the other receiving another second-generation AP (n = 61). Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes OXT, OXTR, CNR1, DDC, and DRD2 were analyzed. Results: Several SNPs were associated with response vs. resistance to AP or clozapine. Conclusions: This is the first study of its kind, to our knowledge, in our admixed Chilean population to address the complete treatment response spectrum. We identified SNPs predictive of treatment-resistant SZ in the genes OXT, CNR1, DDC, and DRD2.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)701-708
Number of pages8
JournalInternational Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
Volume25
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Sep 2022
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

Keywords

  • antipsychotics
  • clozapine
  • Schizophrenia
  • treatment refractoriness
  • treatment resistance

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