Identification of genetic correlates of response to Risperidone: Findings of a multicentric schizophrenia study from India

•Genetic polymorphisms for dopaminergic (DRD2, Taq1D; rs180498) and serotonergic (5HT2A, 516 C>T; rs6305) significantly differentiates the patients suffering from schizophrenia who respond/do not respond to treatment with risperidone.•Age and gender adjusted odds of responding to treatment with risperidone are high for the patients who have DRD2 Taq D1D1 and 5-HT2A C516T CC genotypes.•Ser311Cys (rs1801028) mutation is absent in North Indian patients suffering from schizophrenia. Risperidone is most commonly used as an antipsychotic in India for treatment of schizophrenia. However, the response to treatment with risperidone is affected by many factors, genetic factors being one of them. So, we attempted to evaluate the association between dopamine D2 (DRD2) receptor, serotonergic (5HT2A) receptor and CYP2D6 gene polymorphisms and response to treatment with risperidone in persons with schizophrenia from North India. It was a multicentric 12-weeks prospective study, undertaken in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to International Classification of Diseases 10th revision, Diagnostic Criteria for Research module (ICD-10 DCR). Patients were treated with incremental dosages of risperidone. Nine gene polymorphisms from three genes viz. DRD2, 5-HT2A and CYP2D6 along with socio-demographical and clinical variables were analyzed to ascertain the association in response to risperidone treatment. The change in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to measure the outcome. Significant differences in the frequencies of single nucleotide proteins (SNPs) rs180498 (Taq1D) and rs 6305 (C516T) polymorphisms were found amongst the groups defined according to percent decline in PANSS. The CYP2D6*4 polymorphism differed significantly when drop outs were excluded from analysis. Presence of DRD2 Taq 1 D2D2 and 5-HT2A C516T CT genotypes in patients were more likely to be associated with non-response to risperidone. Ser311Cys (rs1801028) mutation was absent in the North Indian patients suffering from schizophrenia.