Genetic Influences on Response to Drug Treatment for Major Psychiatric Disorders

“The editors are successful in filling a gap in the literature of research findings about pharmacogenetics as related to psychiatry, as no major book has been published in this area since 2011. Because this is a growing field with great potential, an update is necessary. … psychiatrists or pharmacologists involved in research would get the most from this book. … Each chapter begins with an abstract, has various charts and tables, and concludes with references.” (Aaron Plattner, Doody's Book Reviews, June, 2016)

“The book provides a reader with the full insight into present knowledge of genetic influences on response to drug treatment for major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. It helps the reader with better understanding how genetic factors influence psychotropic drug response. … book highlights the benefits of pharmaco-genetics in means of reduced suffering and social economic benefits and it also outlines some new directions for future research. This work contributes significantly to the field of psychiatry.” (Vivian Badžim, Alcoholism and Psychiatry Research, Vol. 52, 2016)

Written by global experts, this book provides a modern comprehensive insight into the pharmacogenetics of treatment of major psychoses: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. The pharmacogenomics of three categories of the most important psychiatric drugs, antipsychotics, antidepressants and mood stabilizers, has been updated and reviewed.

Some promising directions and perspectives for future research in pharmacogenetics in major psychoses are indicated. They are, among others, connected with the development of new methods in molecular genetics and with linking pharmacogenetics assessment with biomarkers, including neuroimaging ones. Finally, the attempts to use pharmacogenetics of antipsychotic, antidepressant and mood-stabilizing drugs in practice are presented. New pharmacogenetic tools may greatly contribute to introducing personalized medicine into psychiatric clinical practice.

Prof. Janusz K. Rybakowski has been the Head of Department of Adult Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland, since 1994. He has authored over 500 scientific articles and book chapters on clinical psychiatry, neurobiology and psychopharmacology and his present Hirsch Index is 40. He is the author of the book “The Faces of Manic-Depressive Illness” (2009) and a member of many scientific societies including ECNP, CINP, Society of Biological Psychiatry, International Society of Psychiatric Genetics, International Society of Affective Disorders and International Society of Bipolar Disorders. He serves on editorial boards of numerous international journals and is the Field Editor of the World Journal of Biological Psychiatry. From 1998-2001 he was the President of the Polish Psychiatric Association. In 2012, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the European Bipolar Forum and in 2015, the Lifetime Achievement Award in Biological Psychiatry.