Genomics of Antidepressant Exposure
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Genomic Studies of Antidepressant Exposure and Response
IRAS ID
340969
Contact name
Conni McCarthy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Edinburgh
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/Z46G8, Open Science Framework
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
Antidepressant medications are widely used to treat depression, but their effectiveness varies significantly between individuals. This study aims to explore the reasons behind this variation by investigating how people respond to antidepressants at both the genetic and molecular levels. We will recruit participants from the Generation Scotland (GS) database who have been treated with antidepressants, approximately 2176 within GS database, and have consented to re-contact and re-use of their data. We will first assess antidepressant exposure and treatment response using a developed questionnaire delivered electronically via Qualtrics to assess participants' depression symptoms, the effectiveness of their prescribed antidepressant(s) on symptoms of depression, side effects and overall satisfaction with antidepressants as a treatment. We will pair the questionnaire response data with existing prescription data and processed electronic health records (EHRs) within the Generation Scotland database to identify differences that may explain why individuals respond or don’t respond to antidepressants. Based on the analysis of this data, we will select a group of 50 participants, half responders and half non-responders, to give a saliva and blood sample at the Clinical Research Facility in Edinburgh. A saliva sample will be collected for genetic analysis by Generation Scotland. The sample of blood will be studied to identify cellular changes that occur with antidepressant treatment. By comparing the results, we aim to discover which genetic pathways are most involved in how people respond to antidepressants, helping to improve future treatment approaches.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/WM/0264
Date of REC Opinion
3 Mar 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion