This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. This is a study on fluoxetine (Prozac) and desipramine, two different medications that are well known as effective on treating depression. However, every individual responds to a medication differently from another. There is substantial evidence that fluoxetine (Prozac) and desipramine are both effective against depression. However, some people respond to one medicaiton, while others do better with the other. The purpose of this study is to find out whether slight genetic differences (polymorphisms in DNA sequence) amongst individuals are related to their response to different antidepressant medications. The southern California population is the world's most ethnically diverse. Our study could be confounded by patient stratification; i.e., different treatment groups might have different endocrine profiles because of their different genetic backgrounds. In order to avoid issures of patient stratification, we have focused our proposed clinical study on one group, Mexican-Americans, a specific subgroup within Los Angeles's Hispanics. The Hispanic population at large is exceedingly diverse, including persons of European, African, Asian, and Native American backgrounds. Genetically, Mexican-Americans are heterogeneous, with various rates of admixture of European and Native American genes. Although the Mexican-American population of Los Angeles is heterogeneous, it is less heterogeneous than the overall population of Los Angeles. Thus, we believe that our choice of population decreases genetic stratification as much as possible in a country as diverse as the U.S.
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