The gene COMT has made its way onto some multigene panels for antidepressant therapy personalization. Does it pull its weight, though? What does your COMT test result tell you about which medicine might be right for your antidepressant treatment? COMT is the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene. The protein that it makes helps break down certain neurotransmitters in the brain like dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Everyone inherits two copies of the COMT gene, and there are several forms which you can inherit from one or both of your parents. There have been a number of studies looking at the relationship between a person’s inherited copies of COMT and development of psychiatric conditions. Yet even with all this information that seemingly relates to antidepressant therapy, your COMT gene result may not provide much help for your doctor in choosing the best medicine to treat depression. Let me explain why. Even if a ...
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