Depression treatment varies by genetic makeup

Posted February 2021

By Graciela Del Rosario

Staff Reporter

As mental health declines during the COVID-19 pandemic, conditions like Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) have tripled the rate in US adults from 8.5% to 27.8% as stated by a study by the JAMA Network, but what if a DNA test can help to solve the problem?

GeneSight is a pharmacogenomic test developed by Assurex Health that analyzes a patient’s DNA to determine how well they would react to medications and point out possible issues in specific prescriptions.

For under $330, a physician collects a swabbed DNA sample from inside a patient’s cheek and sends it to GeneSight’s laboratories for analysis. The physician receives the analyzed results in two days, and consults with GeneSight’s Medical Affairs team for the correct treatment. Results can be directly shared with the patient, and the DNA sample is destroyed within 60 days of results or earlier if requested.

GeneSight guarantees further contact if the test is deemed over $330 out-of-pocket, and the GeneSight Financial Assistance Program for commercial insurance is available as well.

MDD is known to differ in severity between those who have been diagnosed; a few factors are hormonal changes, genetic traits, and traumatic life circumstances.

“Psychiatry can be vague,” said Dr. Jay Tillman, psychiatrist, MD. “Symptoms can change, and side effects can be hard to determine…Using a data-driven approach with actionable information in treatment decisions has proven to be useful in so many ways.”

It has claimed to be successful in up to 50 percent of cases, but it is not the only solution to treat MDD and similar illnesses.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown a sky-rocket interest in mental health and has been given the limelight through social media and more elevated platforms. From students to full-time working adults, self-care is a necessity that has been regularly normalized to help cope with being in quarantine and the lack of face-to-face connections.

“I have weeks where I am rocking and rolling and thinking I am resilient and gritty,” said social worker Caty Buckley. “Then the next week, I am feeling despair and disconnection and like every moment of the day is a SLOG.”

DNA patterns are unique to every individual, so prescriptions and treatments from services like GeneSight don’t have a guaranteed solution for every user and every DNA type. In addition, mental health and self-care correlate differently depending on who has been asked the question.

“Exercise is the key to keeping me sane but I think everyone needs to find their "thing" and then the key is to do it, even when you feel like you don't want to,” said Buckley. “It might be art, music, yoga, cookings, crafting, etc… And finally, even though we are getting so very comfortable in our little cocoons, we need to continue to make an effort to connect with others, again, even if you don't really feel like it. Send a text to a friend, go on a walk with them and wear masks, facetime, call. This is going to be REALLY important to prepare us for when life returns to a place that is a little more normal!”