Aims: In the current study, we aimed to compare the prevalence of adverse lifetime events in treatment resistant and non-treatment resistant schizophrenia in a genome-wide association study.
Materials & methods: Our sample consisted of 84 Caucasian participants with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, assessed cross-sectionally to collect information regarding drug effectiveness and childhood trauma. Using a genome-wide association analysis, we tested single-nucleotide polymorphisms for their association with resistance to antipsychotics defined according to American Psychiatric Association criteria. Two models were tested: a main model and an interaction model with the childhood trauma.
Results: Our analysis failed to demonstrate a significant relationship among 1,178,234 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and treatment-resistance in both the main model and in the childhood trauma interaction model.
Conclusion: Even though we could not find any significant association, treatment resistance has clinical relevance and it may be determined by the interaction between biological and non biological factors.
Keywords: genome-wide association study; schizophrenia; single nucleotide polymorphism; treatment resistance.