Psychotropic drug effects on gene transcriptomics relevant to Parkinson's disease

Psychotropic drugs are widely prescribed in Parkinson's disease (PD) without regard to their pathobiological effects, and these drugs affect the transcription of a large number of genes. Effects of these drugs on PD risk gene transcription were therefore surveyed. Results summarize a comprehensive survey of psychotropic effects on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression evident in published data for 70 genes linked to PD risk. Psychotropic drugs can meaningfully affect PD risk gene mRNA transcription, including antipsychotics (upregulate dopamine receptors D2 and D3 (DRD2, DRD3); downregulate low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 8 (LRP8), ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal esterase L1 (UCHL1, also known as PARK5)), haloperidol (upregulates DRD3, parkin (PRKN, also known as PARK2), DRD2; downregulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)), risperidone (upregulates monoamine oxidase B (MAOB), DRD2), olanzapine (upregulates transmembrane protein 163 (TMEM163), BDNF, glutathione S-transferase mu 1 (GSTM1), MAOB, DRD2, solute carrier organic anion transporter family, member 3A1 (SLCO3A1)), aripiprazole (upregulates DRD2), quetiapine, paliperidone, lurasidone, carbamazepine, and many antidepressants (upregulate BDNF), lithium and bupropion (downregulate BDNF), amitriptyline (upregulates DRD3, DRD2), imipramine (upregulates BDNF, DRD3, DRD2), desipramine (upregulates BDNF, DRD3), and fluoxetine (upregulates acid beta-glucosidase (GBA), coiled-coil domain containing 62 (CCDC62), BDNF, DRD3, UCHL1, unc-13 homolog B (UNC13B), and perhaps huntingtin interacting protein 1 related (HIP1R); downregulates microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT), methylcrotonoyl-coenzyme A carboxylase I (MCCC1), GSTM1, 28kDa calbindin 1 (CALB1)). Fluoxetine effects on BDNF and UCHL1 in GEO Profiles were statistically robust. This report provides an initial summary and framework to understand the potential impact of psychotropic drugs on PD-relevant genes. Antipsychotics and serotoninergic antidepressants may potentially attenuate PD risk, and lithium and bupropion may augment risk, through MAPT, GBA, CCDC62, HIP1R, BDNF, and DRD2 transcription, with MAPT, GBA, and CCDC62 being strongly associated with PD risk in recent meta-analyses. Limitations of these findings and a research agenda to better relate them to the nigrostriatum and PD are discussed. ► Psychotropics are widely used in treating Parkinson's disease (PD). ► Initial evidence indicates these psychotropics can aff