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Pharmacopsychiatry 2010; 43(5): 196-197
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1248315
Letter

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Familial Differential Treatment Response in Schizophrenia – Lessons From a Case of Three Affected Siblings

C. Hoyer1 , 2 , 3 , L. Kranaster1 , 2 , 3 , F. M. Leweke1 , 2 , J. Klosterkötter2 , A. Meyer-Lindenberg1 , D. Koethe2
  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
  • 2Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
  • 3These authors contributed equally to this work
Further Information

Publication History

received 29.06.2009 revised 09.12.2009

accepted 22.12.2009

Publication Date:
26 February 2010 (online)

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Introduction

We report the cases of three siblings (dizygotic twin sisters, one brother) with schizophrenia who showed an excellent response to the same antipsychotic drug, amisulpride, while other antipsychotic drugs were either ineffective or induced intolerable side effects. We discuss this case with respect to its implications for personalized treatment and stress the relevance of the antipsychotic drug history of affected relatives for choosing the most effective and suitable treatment option. We hypothesize that genetic proximity could contribute to a similar profile of response to currently used antipsychotic drugs.

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Correspondence

C. HoyerMD, MPhil 

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

Central Institute of Mental Health

J5

68159 Mannheim

Germany

Phone: +49/621/1703 2331

Fax: +49/621/1703 2325

Email: hoyer@cimh.de