ADHD drug-response genes

Part 4 in a 7-part series on genetic testing for ADHD medications—from ADHD expert Gina Pera and her scientist husband, Dr. Goat

One factor to consider when aiming for that sweet spot of medication effectiveness: your specific gene variants that affect drug response.

That is, do your gene variants mean that you metabolize drugs slowly, normally, or very fast?

That’s where genetic tests can come in handy: They identify these gene variants—that is, variations on a common gene.

In turn, this information helps you to:

1. Determine what dosage you should start with, and
2. Decide the order in which medications should be evaluated.

This information can be especially valuable if you are

—Beginning drug treatment for ADHD,
—Considering changing to a different drug, or
—Introducing an additional drug to your regimen.

Note: Information from these tests will not be a “silver bullet.” It is simply a starting point. The last post in this series will examine how I might use my personal results.