PhD Conferral Mrs. Chiara Fabbri, MD

"Pharmacogenomics of antidepressant drugs: perspectives for the personalization of treatment in depression"

Depression is the third cause of disability worldwide. Many different antidepressants are available, but prescription is based on a trial and error principle, while personalization based on the individual’s genetic makeup can improve efficacy and reduce side effects. This dissertation demonstrated that genetic variants modulating the rapidity of antidepressant metabolism impact on treatment efficacy and side effects and they can facilitate the choice of the drug with the most favorable profile in each patient. Antidepressant response is probably influenced by multiple interacting genes and this dissertation identified groups of functionally related variants that may further contribute to treatment personalization.