Overview of Genetic Testing for Psychiatry

Genetic testing is controversial in psychiatry. Some practitioners swear by it, and others believe it’s not ready for prime time. If you haven’t gotten up-to-date to decide for yourself this course is for you.

Failure to respond to multiple antidepressants is extremely discouraging for patients and frustrating for providers. Genetic snp’s may shed light on the tough problem of treatment resistance. For example, ultra-rapid CYP450 metabolizers may require unusually high doses of medication to achieve any treatment response.

Genetic testing now reaches beyond just CYP450 pathways, and now includes snp’s relevant to methylation pathways, BDNF gene expression, and many other genetic variations relevant to mental illness. In this course, you’ll get a review of genetics 101, the role of genetic testing for psychiatry, how to interpret these tests, and the clinical applications in psychopharmacology. 

We’ll also discuss ethical concerns around informed consent relevant to genetic testing, as well as case examples so you can see firsthand how to put this into practice. Actual genomic testing results will be shown in order to simplify the data that at first might seem overwhelming or difficult to put into use.

• How genetics can contribute to a specific mental disorder and what you can do about it
• Understanding the role of genetic testing for personalized dosing recommendations
• Implementing cytochrome p450 genetic testing results for treatment dosage

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CME/CE Information

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the Integrative Psychiatric Institute. The University of Colorado School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of Colorado School of Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

In order to obtain your CME credit for this course, you will need to take and pass the CME quiz and complete a CME evaluation after watching the video. The quiz will be linked under the video. The Evaluation will follow automatically. If the quiz is passed, you will be prompted to download your CME certificate immediately after.

David Rosenthal, MD

David Rosenthal, M.D., is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist who earned his medical degree at the University of Iowa School of Medicine in 1986 and completed his residency in adult psychiatry and fellowship training in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center. He is a published author on ADHD and has lectured widely on ADHD, mood disorders and, most recently, on the use of genetic testing to assist in determining the optimal treatment of complex psychiatric disorders. He has taught psychopharmacology classes and has worked in a variety of mental health settings including a large HMO and adolescent and adult prison settings. He is currently in private practice in Boulder, Colorado, where he resides with his wife and son.