Tailoring antidepressant treatment based on variability in how individuals metabolise medicines is the goal of GENE-YD, a new pilot study in Western Australia aimed at improving mental health outcomes for young adults.
The pilot trial will involve pharmacogenetic testing (PGx), a personalised medicine approach that examines how a person’s genetic makeup affects how they respond to certain medications. This information can help doctors to choose the most effective treatment options.
The study, based at WA’s Perron Institute, aims to recruit up to 60 participants aged 16-24 years who live with depression and/or anxiety and are planning to start antidepressant therapy, or who are prescribed antidepressants and are looking to change medication.
Data collected will enable assessment of the benefits of genetic testing from the perspectives of both patients and doctors. This includes monitoring medication side effects and overall health outcomes compared to conventional treatment outcomes.
Chief Investigators are Associate Professor Jennifer Rodger (Perron Institute and UWA), Professor Anthony Akkari (Perron Institute and Murdoch University) and Professor Sean Hood (The University of Western Australia). Also involved are Curtin University, PathWest, and Drs Svetlana Baltic and Suzannah Lindsey-Temple from WA biotechnology company, Gene S.
“The use of pharmacogenomics in improving youth mental health outcomes offers hope where traditional treatment options often fall short,” Associate Professor Rodger said.
“Many young people struggle to find effective mental health treatments, leading to prolonged suffering and decreased quality of life.
“By tailoring treatments to an individual’s genetic profile, we hope to show that we can provide young people with personalised care more likely to be effective and less likely to cause adverse effects.
“It could make a positive difference to the mental health and lives of young people who are experiencing difficulties in the early stages of their mental health journey.”
The project is informed by the qualitative results of the project’s first phase, which involved focus groups with youth and case study discussions among GPs.
The findings from this new study will help develop a larger clinical trial, aiming to show how genetic information about metabolism can help create effective, well tolerated treatment plans for young people prescribed antidepressants for depression and anxiety.
Though not the only contributing factor, four out of five people are believed to carry genetic variations that may alter drug efficacy and safety, with some research estimating genetic factors to account for up to 95 per cent of treatment response.
Funding for the study has come from the WA Government’s Future Health and Innovation Fund and from the philanthropic Sarich family.
For more information, contact Research Coordinator Zahra Cooper via PGx@perron.uwa.edu.au.
October is national Mental Health Awareness Month and Thursday 10 October is World Mental Health Day.
On October 10, A/Professor Rodger will be speaking on a panel at a Breakfast By the Bay event: ‘Voices of Tomorrow: Shaping Youth Mental Health Research’ in partnership with UWA Club, Perron Institute and The WA Suicide Prevention and Resilience Research Centre (SPARRC), find out more here.
Also on October 10, A/Professor Rodger will be a guest speaker at the ‘Celebrating 10 years of Meeting for Minds’ evening event, for info and tickets visit here.