Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a serious and all-too common medical illness, affecting an estimated 21 million U.S. adults, according to the National Institutes for Mental Health. Clinical depression among veterans is an especially pressing concern, with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) declaring suicide prevention among all veterans …
Read more
In August 2023, Myriad Genetics enhanced the GeneSight Psychotropic test to include information on how a patient’s smoking status may impact their body’s metabolism of certain mental health medications. The GeneSight Psychotropic test will now provide non-smoking and smoking results when applicable. These updates were based on a comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed literature and our …
Understanding the GeneSight test algorithm The GeneSight test uses a unique combinatorial algorithm, which evaluates how variations in multiple genes may influence an individual’s outcomes with certain medications. The algorithm…
It is more common than you might think for women to suffer from major depressive disorder. However, depression can and should be treated. Please view this infographic to learn more about women and depression.
By identifying the presence of the gene variations in HLA-B*1502 and HLA-A*3101, the GeneSight® Psychotropic pharmacogenomic test can predict if a patient may be at an increased risk of severe skin reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), when taking certain mood stabilizers. SJS is a rare, serious disorder of skin and mucous membranes, usually caused by a reaction to a medication.
Treating Depression How the human body responds to the medications used to treat depression is very complicated. First, there’s a lot we don’t know about depression. According to Harvard Health: “Research suggests that depression doesn’t spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, there are many possible causes of …
One of the most frequently asked questions from our patients is how to interpret the GeneSight report. The pharmacogenomic report contains a lot of useful, yet complex, information that may be difficult to understand without a medical background.
You’ve taken the GeneSight® test and have the results in hand. Your healthcare provider has likely reviewed the results pages with you. As you review the GeneSight Psychotropic report, you may see a chart called the gene-drug interaction chart. This chart provides information about which pharmacokinetic genes are involved in metabolism of each medication included …
How do we know that the GeneSight® test is effective? There are multiple published studies showing the clinical validity and utility, as well as the economic utility, of the GeneSight Psychotropic test. In fact, it is the only neuropsychiatric pharmacogenomic test backed by such extensive research. The GeneSight test is a pharmacogenomic test, which predicts …
Read what remission means to doctors and patients.
What is a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)?
Two patients with depression each take the same dose of the same medication. One patient’s medication makes her feel extremely nauseous, leaves her with no energy and does not alleviate the symptoms of her depression. The other patient has no side effects and her medication works as prescribed. How can this be? The answer may lie in a patient’s genes.
Pharmacogenomics (phar·ma·co·ge·no·mics) may be a multisyllabic, hard-to-pronounce word. However, the relatively new field already has helped many, many people. What is Pharmacogenomics? When you go to see your healthcare provider with a health problem, you are looking for answers regarding your symptoms: what is wrong with me and how do we fix it? To help …
What is MTHFR and why is it important? MTHFR is an enzyme required to convert folic acid into an active form called L-methylfolate that is usable by our bodies. L-methylfolate plays an important role in making neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which help regulate mood. Some people carry a mutation in the MTHFR …
When people hear of pharmacogenomic testing, they may think it’s the same as genetic testing used to diagnose disease. The GeneSight® test is a pharmacogenomic test, not a diagnostic test. While both tests may analyze DNA, there are meaningful differences between the two: Diagnostic testing looks at changes in a person’s DNA that are associated …
Am I a Good Candidate for GeneSight Testing? The GeneSight test is a genetic test that can help inform your doctor about genes that may affect how you metabolize or respond to certain medications commonly used to treat depression, anxiety, ADHD and other mental health conditions. The test is intended to supplement other information considered by …
GeneSight test results showing all medications in the green category still provides very useful information for you and your doctor. Here’s what an “all-green” report can mean. The GeneSight® report is color coded with green, yellow and red categories to help classify how an individual patient may respond to a medication based on their unique genetic profile. Patients usually receive results that have medications listed in each of the three categories: