CRISPR-pharmacogenetics integration may refine psychotropic prescribing in admixed populations

This is a narrative review that explores the conceptual framework for combining CRISPR-based functional genomic screening with pharmacogenetics that accounts for population admixture, specifically in the Brazilian context. The authors propose that such integration could help identify functional genetic variants that influence psychotropic drug response and are enriched in specific ancestral backgrounds, potentially reducing trial-and-error prescribing.

The review does not present original data, pooled analyses, or systematic evidence synthesis. Instead, it outlines a rationale for how CRISPR screens could validate candidate variants discovered through admixture mapping, and how those validated variants could inform pharmacogenetic testing in admixed populations. The authors highlight that most pharmacogenetic research has been conducted in homogeneous populations, limiting its applicability to Brazil's genetically diverse population.

Key limitations acknowledged include the lack of empirical data supporting this approach, the complexity of psychiatric phenotypes, and the need for large, diverse cohorts to validate any discovered variants. The authors also note that CRISPR functional genomics is still an emerging technology with technical and ethical challenges.

Practice relevance is not explicitly stated, but the review suggests that if validated, this approach could eventually lead to more personalized psychotropic prescribing for patients in admixed populations. However, clinicians should recognize that this is a forward-looking perspective, not a current clinical tool.