Pharmacogenetics and Epigenetics

The field of public health has been characterized by an increase in studies focusing on the role of epigenetics in the development of mental illnesses and response to psychopharmaceutical agents. Such studies have gained traction because mental illnesses are highly complex and have a multifactorial origin. Mental illnesses are characterized by complex intersections between genetic and environmental factors that shape their emergence and development. The role of epigenetics on the development of mental illnesses has become a major issue of focus due to the effect of epigenetics on an individuals potential for resiliency to anxiety, stress, and depression. The implications of epigenetics for mental health have been the subject of a growing field of health care research.

Kular & Kular (2018) conducted a study to examine the role of epigenetics in...

These researchers conducted the study on the backdrop that mental/psychiatric disorders are clinically heterogeneous and devastating chronic diseases. These illnesses are characterized by a complex interaction between gene variants and environmental factors. Epigenetic processes like histone posttranslational alterations and DNA methylation shape how tissues or cells interpret external signals. These processes instruct cells/tissues to appropriately interpret outside signals and change its function accordingly. Epigenetic studies in the field of...…treated through promoting the formation of new hypotheses.

In light of insights obtained from the two articles, psychiatric providers are likely to examine epigenetic modifications and heritability when determining how to prescribe in the future. Epigenetic modifications and heritability will be taken into consideration because of their role in the ultimate expression of a certain gene and its phenotype (Miller, 2021). Therefore, future prescription decisions by psychiatric providers are likely to be influenced by epigenetic changes rather than the unchanging DNA sequence of a gene. As noted by Kular & Kular (2018), a biopsychosocial approach, which involves a combination of psychosocial therapy and pharmacological treatment, is likely to dominate…