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Laurencin C, Lancelot S, Merida I, Costes N, Redouté J, Le Bars D, Boulinguez P, Ballanger B. Distribution of α 2-Adrenergic Receptors in the Living Human Brain Using [ 11C]yohimbine PET. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050843. [PMID: 37238713 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurofunctional basis of the noradrenergic (NA) system and its associated disorders is still very incomplete because in vivo imaging tools in humans have been missing up to now. Here, for the first time, we use [11C]yohimbine in a large sample of subjects (46 healthy volunteers, 23 females, 23 males; aged 20-50) to perform direct quantification of regional alpha 2 adrenergic receptors' (α2-ARs) availability in the living human brain. The global map shows the highest [11C]yohimbine binding in the hippocampus, the occipital lobe, the cingulate gyrus, and the frontal lobe. Moderate binding was found in the parietal lobe, thalamus, parahippocampus, insula, and temporal lobe. Low levels of binding were found in the basal ganglia, the amygdala, the cerebellum, and the raphe nucleus. Parcellation of the brain into anatomical subregions revealed important variations in [11C]yohimbine binding within most structures. Strong heterogeneity was found in the occipital lobe, the frontal lobe, and the basal ganglia, with substantial gender effects. Mapping the distribution of α2-ARs in the living human brain may prove useful not only for understanding the role of the NA system in many brain functions, but also for understanding neurodegenerative diseases in which altered NA transmission with specific loss of α2-ARs is suspected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Laurencin
- Université de Lyon, 69622 Lyon, France
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
- INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), 69000 Lyon, France
- CNRS UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), 69000 Lyon, France
- Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Service de Neurologie C, Centre Expert Parkinson, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69677 Bron, France
| | - Sophie Lancelot
- Université de Lyon, 69622 Lyon, France
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
- INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), 69000 Lyon, France
- CNRS UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), 69000 Lyon, France
- CERMEP-Imagerie du Vivant, 69500 Bron, France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69677 Bron, France
| | - Inès Merida
- CERMEP-Imagerie du Vivant, 69500 Bron, France
| | | | | | - Didier Le Bars
- CERMEP-Imagerie du Vivant, 69500 Bron, France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69677 Bron, France
| | - Philippe Boulinguez
- Université de Lyon, 69622 Lyon, France
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
- INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), 69000 Lyon, France
- CNRS UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), 69000 Lyon, France
| | - Bénédicte Ballanger
- Université de Lyon, 69622 Lyon, France
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
- INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), 69000 Lyon, France
- CNRS UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), 69000 Lyon, France
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Marquez-Franco R, Carrillo-Ruiz JD, Velasco AL, Velasco F. Deep Brain Stimulation Neuromodulation for the Treatment of Mood Disorders: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Treatment Resistant Depression. Front Psychiatry 2022; 12:764776. [PMID: 35250649 PMCID: PMC8888660 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.764776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rene Marquez-Franco
- Unit for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Mexico General Hospital “Dr. Eduardo Liceaga”, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jose Damian Carrillo-Ruiz
- Unit for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Mexico General Hospital “Dr. Eduardo Liceaga”, Mexico City, Mexico
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ana Luisa Velasco
- Unit for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Mexico General Hospital “Dr. Eduardo Liceaga”, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Francisco Velasco
- Unit for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Mexico General Hospital “Dr. Eduardo Liceaga”, Mexico City, Mexico
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Brocos-Mosquera I, Miranda-Azpiazu P, Muguruza C, Corzo-Monje V, Morentin B, Meana JJ, Callado LF, Rivero G. Differential brain ADRA2A and ADRA2C gene expression and epigenetic regulation in schizophrenia. Effect of antipsychotic drug treatment. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:643. [PMID: 34930904 PMCID: PMC8688495 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01762-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Postsynaptic α2A-adrenoceptor density is enhanced in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia subjects. This alteration might be due to transcriptional activation, and could be regulated by epigenetic mechanisms such as histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs). The aim of this study was to evaluate ADRA2A and ADRA2C gene expression (codifying for α2-adrenoceptor subtypes), and permissive and repressive histone PTMs at gene promoter regions in the DLPFC of subjects with schizophrenia and matched controls (n = 24 pairs). We studied the effect of antipsychotic (AP) treatment in AP-free (n = 12) and AP-treated (n = 12) subgroups of schizophrenia subjects and in rats acutely and chronically treated with typical and atypical antipsychotics. ADRA2A mRNA expression was selectively upregulated in AP-treated schizophrenia subjects (+93%) whereas ADRA2C mRNA expression was upregulated in all schizophrenia subjects (+53%) regardless of antipsychotic treatment. Acute and chronic clozapine treatment in rats did not alter brain cortex Adra2a mRNA expression but increased Adra2c mRNA expression. Both ADRA2A and ADRA2C promoter regions showed epigenetic modification by histone methylation and acetylation in human DLPFC. The upregulation of ADRA2A expression in AP-treated schizophrenia subjects might be related to observed bivalent chromatin at ADRA2A promoter region in schizophrenia (depicted by increased permissive H3K4me3 and repressive H3K27me3) and could be triggered by the enhanced H4K16ac at ADRA2A promoter. In conclusion, epigenetic predisposition differentially modulated ADRA2A and ADRA2C mRNA expression in DLPFC of schizophrenia subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iria Brocos-Mosquera
- grid.11480.3c0000000121671098Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia Spain ,grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Leioa, Spain
| | - Patricia Miranda-Azpiazu
- grid.11480.3c0000000121671098Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia Spain ,grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Leioa, Spain
| | - Carolina Muguruza
- grid.11480.3c0000000121671098Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia Spain ,grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Leioa, Spain
| | - Virginia Corzo-Monje
- grid.11480.3c0000000121671098Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia Spain
| | - Benito Morentin
- Section of Forensic Pathology, Basque Institute of Legal Medicine, Bilbao, Spain ,grid.452310.1Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia Spain
| | - J. Javier Meana
- grid.11480.3c0000000121671098Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia Spain ,grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Leioa, Spain ,grid.452310.1Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia Spain
| | - Luis F. Callado
- grid.11480.3c0000000121671098Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia Spain ,grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Leioa, Spain ,grid.452310.1Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia Spain
| | - Guadalupe Rivero
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Leioa, Spain. .,Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain.
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Hippocampal neuropathology in suicide: Gaps in our knowledge and opportunities for a breakthrough. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:542-552. [PMID: 34906612 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Suicide is a major global hazard. There is a need for increasing suicide awareness and effective and evidence-based interventions, targeting both suicidal ideation and conduct. However, anti-suicide pharmacological effects are unsatisfactory. The human hippocampus is vulnerable to neuropsychiatric damages and subsequently releases psychobiological signals. Human hippocampal studies of suicide completers have shown mechanistic changes in neurobiology, which, however, could not reflect the neuropathological 'fingerprints' of fatal suicide ideations and suicide attempts. In this review, we provide several leading theories of suicide, including the serotoninergic system, Wnt pathway and brain-derived neurotrophic factor/tropomyosin receptor kinase B signalling, and discuss the evidence for their roles in suicide and treatment. Moreover, the cognitive dysfunctions associated with suicide risk are discussed, as well as the novel evidence on cognitive therapies that decrease suicidal ideation. We highlight the need to apply multi-omics techniques (including single-nucleus RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry histochemistry) on hippocampal samples from donors who died by suicide or legal euthanasia, to clarify the aetiology of suicide and propose novel therapeutic strategies.
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Duan KM, Fang C, Yang SQ, Yang ST, Xiao JD, Chang H, Lin GX, Zhang LB, Peng MC, Liu ZQ, Wang SY. Genetic Polymorphism of rs13306146 Affects α2AAR Expression and Associated With Postpartum Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Women Who Received Cesarean Section. Front Genet 2021; 12:675386. [PMID: 34306020 PMCID: PMC8294467 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.675386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Postpartum depressive symptom (PDS) is a common psychological and mental disorder after giving birth. Our previous studies showing the application of dexmedetomidine, an α2-AR agonist, can significantly improve maternal sleep, as well as relieve and reduce the incidence of PDS. This study investigated the association between α2 A AR gene polymorphisms and PDS. A total of 568 cesarean section patients were enrolled; the incidence of PDS is 18.13% (103 with PDS, 465 with non-PDS). The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale score ≥10 was used to diagnose PDS at 42 days after delivery. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms of α2AR were sequenced by pyrosequencing. The effect of rs13306146 A > G polymorphism on α2AR transcription and the regulation of miR-646 on α2AR expression were assessed by dual luciferase reporter assays or gene transfection. Increased stress during pregnancy, poor relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, spousal relationship, domestic violence, antenatal depression, self-harm ideation, and stressful life events were all associated with increased PDS incidence (p < 0.05). The logistic regression analysis found that the α2AAR rs13306146 polymorphism was associated with PDS after adjusting confounding variables. The transcriptional function of the α2AAR rs13306146 A allele was decreased compared with the G allele, and the α2AAR expression level was correspondingly decreased (p < 0.05), as the strongest binding ability of miR-646 to the α2AAR rs13306146 AA genotype. The effect of α2AAR rs13306146 A > G polymorphism may change the binding ability of miR-646 at the 3'UTR of the α2AAR gene, affecting the expression of α2AAR. This study supports the involvement of the norepinephrine system in the pathogenesis of PDS. Genotypes of α2AAR may be novel and useful biomarkers for PDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Ming Duan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Chao Fang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Si Qi Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shu Ting Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ji Dong Xiao
- Department of Ultrasonography, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Huang Chang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Guo Xin Lin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Liang Bin Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ming Chao Peng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhao Qian Liu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Sai Ying Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
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6
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Subba R, Sandhir R, Singh SP, Mallick BN, Mondal AC. Pathophysiology linking depression and type 2 diabetes: Psychotherapy, physical exercise, and fecal microbiome transplantation as damage control. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 53:2870-2900. [PMID: 33529409 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Diabetes increases the likelihood of developing depression and vice versa. Research on this bidirectional association has somewhat managed to delineate the interplay among implicated physiological processes. Still, further exploration is required in this context. This review addresses the comorbidity by investigating suspected common pathophysiological mechanisms. One such factor is psychological stress which disturbs the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis causing hormonal imbalance. This includes elevated cortisol levels, a common biomarker of both depression and diabetes. Disrupted insulin signaling drives the hampered neurotransmission of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Also, adipokine hormones such as adiponectin, leptin, and resistin and the orexigenic hormone, ghrelin, are involved in both depression and T2DM. This disarray further interferes with physiological processes encompassing sleep, the gut-brain axis, metabolism, and mood stability. Behavioral coping mechanisms, such as unhealthy eating, mediate disturbed glucose homeostasis, and neuroinflammation. This is intricately linked to oxidative stress, redox imbalance, and mitochondrial dysfunction. However, interventions such as psychotherapy, physical exercise, fecal microbiota transplantation, and insulin-sensitizing agents can help to manage the distressing condition. The possibility of glucagon-like peptide 1 possessing a therapeutic role has also been discussed. Nonetheless, there stands an urgent need for unraveling new correlating targets and biological markers for efficient treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhea Subba
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Rajat Sandhir
- Dept. of Biochemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Punjab, India
| | - Surya Pratap Singh
- Dept. of Biochemistry, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Kuehl LK, Deuter CE, Nowacki J, Ueberrueck L, Wingenfeld K, Otte C. Attentional bias in individuals with depression and adverse childhood experiences: influence of the noradrenergic system? Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:3519-3531. [PMID: 34605959 PMCID: PMC8629860 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05969-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe mental disorder with affective, cognitive, and somatic symptoms. Mood congruent cognitive biases, including a negative attentional bias, are important for development, maintenance, and recurrence of depressive symptoms. MDD is associated with maladaptive changes in the biological stress systems such as dysregulations of central noradrenergic alpha2-receptors in the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system, which can affect cognitive processes including attention. Patients with adverse childhood experiences (ACE), representing severe stress experiences in early life, might be particularly affected. OBJECTIVES With an experimental design, we aimed to gain further knowledge about the role of noradrenergic activity for attentional bias in MDD patients with and without ACE. METHODS We tested the effect of increased noradrenergic activity induced by the alpha2-receptor blocker yohimbine on attentional bias in a placebo-controlled repeated measures design. Four groups were included as follows: MDD patients with and without ACE, and healthy participants with and without ACE (total N = 128, all without antidepressant medication). RESULTS A significant effect of MDD on attentional bias scores of sad face pictures (p = .037) indicated a facilitated attentional processing of sad face pictures in MDD patients (compared to non-MDD individuals). However, we found no such effect of ACE. For attentional bias of happy face pictures, we found no significant effects of MDD and ACE. Even though a higher increase of blood pressure and salivary alpha-amylase following yohimbine compared to placebo indicated successful noradrenergic stimulation, we found no significant effects of yohimbine on attentional bias of happy or sad face pictures. CONCLUSIONS Our results are consistent with the hypothesis of a negative attentional bias in MDD patients. However, as we found no effect of ACE or yohimbine, further research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which ACE increases the risk of MDD and to understand the biological basis of the MDD-related negative attentional bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linn K Kuehl
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Christian E Deuter
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Nowacki
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lisa Ueberrueck
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Wingenfeld
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Otte
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
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Foschi C, Damstetter E. Potential depressive central nervous system effects of brimonidine topical gel. JAAD Case Rep 2020; 6:979-980. [PMID: 32995423 PMCID: PMC7508708 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdcr.2020.07.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Foschi
- Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois
- Correspondence to: Cristina Foschi, BS, Rush Medical College, 600 S Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60607.
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Cimolai N. A review of neuropsychiatric adverse events from topical ophthalmic brimonidine. Hum Exp Toxicol 2020; 39:1279-1290. [DOI: 10.1177/0960327120918307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Brimonidine is a first-line topical medication for increased intraocular pressure and glaucoma which may be used alone or in conjunction with other topical therapies. Its structural and pharmacological comparabilities to clonidine give way to the hypothesis that it may cause neuropsychiatric side effects. The majority of case reports citing brimonidine toxicity, either for topical or peripheral exposure, include pediatric age groups but especially infants. Among the latter, a dose-response phenomenon is evident. Dose-response correlates have also been shown among adults. Case series and prospective double-blind treatment studies also give evidence for the occurrence of several central nervous system adverse reactions. Topical ophthalmic brimonidine use should be followed for the occurrence of neuropsychiatric disturbances generally, and enhanced vigilance should be maintained for at-risk populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Cimolai
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Children’s and Women’s Health Centre of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Kuehl LK, Deuter CE, Hellmann-Regen J, Kaczmarczyk M, Otte C, Wingenfeld K. Enhanced noradrenergic activity by yohimbine and differential fear conditioning in patients with major depression with and without adverse childhood experiences. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 96:109751. [PMID: 31446157 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated with changes in the biological stress systems, including the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system. Accumulated evidence suggests an upregulation of central alpha2-receptors, leading to decreased noradrenergic activity on a central level in MDD patients. Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) such as physical or sexual abuse might contribute to those changes. Furthermore, noradrenaline can affect cognitive processes, e.g. learning and memory. Cognitive dysfunctions constitute an important symptom of MDD. We aimed to investigate the relationship of alpha2-receptor dysregulation with learning processes in MDD by conducting a differential fear conditioning paradigm after double-blind administration of the alpha2-receptor antagonist yohimbine versus placebo. To investigate the role of ACE systematically, we included four groups of healthy participants and MDD patients with and without ACE (MDD-/ACE-: N = 44, MDD-/ACE+: N = 26, MDD+/ACE-: N = 24, MDD+/ACE+: N = 24; without antidepressant medication). We found increased noradrenergic activity after yohimbine administration across groups as measured by alpha-amylase and blood pressure. Overall, fear responses were higher after yohimbine as indicated by skin conductance responses and fear-potentiated startle responses. While we found no significant MDD effect, ACE had significant impact on the ability to discriminate between both conditioned stimuli (CS+ predicting an aversive stimulus, CS- predicting none), depending on drug condition. After yohimbine, CS discrimination decreased in individuals without ACE, but not in individuals with ACE. Differences in the response to yohimbine might be explained by aberrant alpha2-receptor regulation in individuals with ACE. Impaired discrimination of threat and safety signals might contribute to enhanced vulnerability following ACE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linn K Kuehl
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Christian E Deuter
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julian Hellmann-Regen
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Kaczmarczyk
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Otte
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Wingenfeld
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
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11
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Morgese MG, Trabace L. Monoaminergic System Modulation in Depression and Alzheimer's Disease: A New Standpoint? Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:483. [PMID: 31156428 PMCID: PMC6533589 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of depression has dramatically increased, and it has been estimated that over 300 million people suffer from depression all over the world. Depression is highly comorbid with many central and peripheral disorders. In this regard, depressive states have been associated with the development of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Accordingly, depression is a risk factor for AD and depressive symptomatology is common in pre-clinical AD, representing an early manifestation of this disease. Neuropsychiatric symptoms may represent prodromal symptoms of dementia deriving from neurobiological changes in specific cerebral regions; thus, the search for common biological substrates is becoming an imperative and intriguing field of research. Soluble forms of beta amyloid peptide (Aβ) have been implicated both in the development of early memory deficits and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Indeed, soluble Aβ species have been shown to induce a depressive-like phenotype in AD animal models. Alterations in monoamine content are a common feature of these neuropathologies. Interestingly, serotonergic system modulation has been implicated in alteration of Aβ production. In addition, noradrenaline is considered crucially involved in compensatory mechanisms, leading to increased Aβ degradation via several mechanisms, including microglia modulation. In further agreement, antidepressant drugs have also been shown to potentially modulate cognitive symptoms in AD and depression. Thus, the present review summarizes the main knowledge about biological and pathological substrates, such as monoamine and related molecules, commonly involved in AD and depression pathology, thus shading light on new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Grazia Morgese
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Luigia Trabace
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
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Radioligand binding analysis of α 2 adrenoceptors with [ 11C]yohimbine in brain in vivo: Extended Inhibition Plot correction for plasma protein binding. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15979. [PMID: 29167492 PMCID: PMC5700124 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16020-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a novel method of kinetic analysis of radioligand binding to neuroreceptors in brain in vivo, here applied to noradrenaline receptors in rat brain. The method uses positron emission tomography (PET) of [11C]yohimbine binding in brain to quantify the density and affinity of α2 adrenoceptors under condition of changing radioligand binding to plasma proteins. We obtained dynamic PET recordings from brain of Spraque Dawley rats at baseline, followed by pharmacological challenge with unlabeled yohimbine (0.3 mg/kg). The challenge with unlabeled ligand failed to diminish radioligand accumulation in brain tissue, due to the blocking of radioligand binding to plasma proteins that elevated the free fractions of the radioligand in plasma. We devised a method that graphically resolved the masking of unlabeled ligand binding by the increase of radioligand free fractions in plasma. The Extended Inhibition Plot introduced here yielded an estimate of the volume of distribution of non-displaceable ligand in brain tissue that increased with the increase of the free fraction of the radioligand in plasma. The resulting binding potentials of the radioligand declined by 50–60% in the presence of unlabeled ligand. The kinetic unmasking of inhibited binding reflected in the increase of the reference volume of distribution yielded estimates of receptor saturation consistent with the binding of unlabeled ligand.
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Li C, Wei Z, Fan Y, Huang W, Su Y, Li H, Dong Z, Fukuda M, Khater M, Wu G. The GTPase Rab43 Controls the Anterograde ER-Golgi Trafficking and Sorting of GPCRs. Cell Rep 2017; 21:1089-1101. [PMID: 29069590 PMCID: PMC6051424 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest superfamily of cell-surface signaling proteins. However, mechanisms underlying their surface targeting and sorting are poorly understood. Here, we screen the Rab family of small GTPases in the surface transport of multiple GPCRs. We find that manipulation of Rab43 function significantly alters the surface presentation and signaling of all GPCRs studied without affecting non-GPCR membrane proteins. Rab43 specifically regulates the transport of nascent GPCRs from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi. More interestingly, Rab43 directly interacts with GPCRs in an activation-dependent fashion. The Rab43-binding domain identified in the receptors effectively converts non-GPCR membrane protein transport into a Rab43-dependent pathway. These data reveal a crucial role for Rab43 in anterograde ER-Golgi transport of nascent GPCRs, as well as the ER sorting of GPCR members by virtue of its ability to interact directly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunman Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Zhe Wei
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Yi Fan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Yunchao Su
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Honglin Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Zheng Dong
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Mitsunori Fukuda
- Department of Developmental Biology and Neurosciences, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Mostafa Khater
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Guangyu Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA.
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Ghasemi M, Phillips C, Fahimi A, McNerney MW, Salehi A. Mechanisms of action and clinical efficacy of NMDA receptor modulators in mood disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 80:555-572. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Uys MM, Shahid M, Harvey BH. Therapeutic Potential of Selectively Targeting the α 2C-Adrenoceptor in Cognition, Depression, and Schizophrenia-New Developments and Future Perspective. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:144. [PMID: 28855875 PMCID: PMC5558054 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
α2A- and α2C-adrenoceptors (ARs) are the primary α2-AR subtypes involved in central nervous system (CNS) function. These receptors are implicated in the pathophysiology of psychiatric illness, particularly those associated with affective, psychotic, and cognitive symptoms. Indeed, non-selective α2-AR blockade is proposed to contribute toward antidepressant (e.g., mirtazapine) and atypical antipsychotic (e.g., clozapine) drug action. Both α2C- and α2A-AR share autoreceptor functions to exert negative feedback control on noradrenaline (NA) release, with α2C-AR heteroreceptors regulating non-noradrenergic transmission (e.g., serotonin, dopamine). While the α2A-AR is widely distributed throughout the CNS, α2C-AR expression is more restricted, suggesting the possibility of significant differences in how these two receptor subtypes modulate regional neurotransmission. However, the α2C-AR plays a more prominent role during states of low endogenous NA activity, while the α2A-AR is relatively more engaged during states of high noradrenergic tone. Although augmentation of conventional antidepressant and antipsychotic therapy with non-selective α2-AR antagonists may improve therapeutic outcome, animal studies report distinct yet often opposing roles for the α2A- and α2C-ARs on behavioral markers of mood and cognition, implying that non-selective α2-AR antagonism may compromise therapeutic utility both in terms of efficacy and side-effect liability. Recently, several highly selective α2C-AR antagonists have been identified that have allowed deeper investigation into the function and utility of the α2C-AR. ORM-13070 is a useful positron emission tomography ligand, ORM-10921 has demonstrated antipsychotic, antidepressant, and pro-cognitive actions in animals, while ORM-12741 is in clinical development for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction and neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease. This review will emphasize the importance and relevance of the α2C-AR as a neuropsychiatric drug target in major depression, schizophrenia, and associated cognitive deficits. In addition, we will present new prospects and future directions of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Monique Uys
- Division of Pharmacology, Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | | | - Brian Herbert Harvey
- Division of Pharmacology, Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
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García-Fuster MJ, García-Sevilla JA. Effects of anti-depressant treatments on FADD and p-FADD protein in rat brain cortex: enhanced anti-apoptotic p-FADD/FADD ratio after chronic desipramine and fluoxetine administration. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:2955-71. [PMID: 27259485 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4342-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Fas-associated death domain (FADD) is an adaptor of death receptors that can also induce anti-apoptotic actions through its phosphorylated form (p-FADD). Activation of monoamine receptors, indirect targets of classic anti-depressant drugs (ADs), reduced FADD and increased p-FADD and p-FADD/FADD ratio in brain. OBJECTIVES To ascertain whether ADs, which indirectly regulate monoamine receptors, modulate FADD protein forms to promote anti-apoptotic actions. METHODS The effects of selected norepinephrine transporter (NET), serotonin transporter (SERT), monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, atypical ADs, and electroconvulsive shock (ECS) or behavioral procedures (forced swim test, FST) on FADD forms and pro-survival FADD-like interleukin-1β-converting enzyme-inhibitory protein (FLIP-L) and phosphoprotein enriched in astrocytes of 15 kDa (p-PEA-15) contents were assessed in rat brain cortex by western blot analysis. RESULTS Acute NET (e.g., nisoxetine) but not SERT (e.g., fluoxetine) inhibitors decreased cortical FADD (up to 37 %) and increased p-FADD/FADD ratio (up to 1.9-fold). Nisoxetine effects were prevented by α2-antagonist RX-821002, suggesting the involvement of presynaptic α2-autoreceptors. Immobility time in the FST correlated with increases of pro-apoptotic FADD and decreases of anti-apoptotic p-FADD. The MAO-A/B inhibitor phenelzine decreased FADD (up to 33 %) and increased p-FADD (up to 65 %) and p-FADD/FADD (up to 2.4-fold). Other MAO inhibitors (clorgyline, Ro 41-1049, rasagiline), atypical ADs (ketamine and mirtazapine), or ECS did not modulate cortical FADD. Chronic (14 days) desipramine and fluoxetine, but not phenelzine, increased p-FADD (up to 59 %), p-FADD/FADD ratio (up to 1.8-fold), and pro-survival p-PEA-15 (up to 46 %) in rat brain cortex. CONCLUSIONS Multifunctional FADD protein, through an increased p-FADD/FADD ratio, could participate in the mechanisms of anti-apoptotic actions induced by ADs.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Julia García-Fuster
- Neurobiology of Drug Abuse Group, IUNICS/IdISPa, University of the Balearic Islands, Cra. Valldemossa km 7.5, E-07122, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. .,Redes Temáticas de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud-Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RETICS-RTA), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jesús A García-Sevilla
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, IUNICS/IdISPa, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.,Redes Temáticas de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud-Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RETICS-RTA), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
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Rivero G, Martín-Guerrero I, de Prado E, Gabilondo AM, Callado LF, García-Sevilla JA, García-Orad Á, Meana JJ. Alpha2C-adrenoceptor Del322-325 polymorphism and risk of psychiatric disorders: significant association with opiate abuse and dependence. World J Biol Psychiatry 2016; 17:308-15. [PMID: 27007576 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2016.1142608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Objectives α2C-adrenoceptors (α2C-AR) are involved in behavioural responses relevant to psychiatric disorders and suicide completion. The genetic polymorphism α2CDel322-325-AR confers a loss-of-function phenotype. Functional human studies have associated α2CDel322-325-AR polymorphism with major depression pathophysiology. The aim of this study was to analyse, for the first time, the association of α2CDel322-325-AR polymorphism with suicide completion and with related psychiatric disorders: major depression, schizophrenia, opiate and alcohol abuse and dependence. Methods Post-mortem brain DNA was extracted (n = 516) and genotyping performed by HaeIII restriction endonuclease digestion of PCR products and DNA fragment analysis on capillary sequencer. Amplified products were sequenced to confirm the presence of the polymorphism. Results The frequency of α2CDel322-325-AR in suicide (9%, n = 236) and non-suicide victims (11%, n = 280) was similar. Genotype frequencies for the α2CDel322-325-AR polymorphism in depressed (15%, n = 39) and schizophrenic subjects (18%, n = 39) were higher than in controls (7%, n = 187), but these differences did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.125 and P = 0.063, respectively). A selective and significant association of α2CDel322-325-AR polymorphism with opiate abuse and dependence was found (23%, n = 35, P = 0.011). Conclusions Our results indicate that α2CDel322-325-AR may play a role in the pathophysiology of opiate abuse and dependence and raise the interest for larger genetic associative studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Rivero
- a Department of Pharmacology , University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM) , Spain ;,c BioCruces Health Research Institute , Spain
| | - Idoia Martín-Guerrero
- b Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology , University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) , Spain ;,c BioCruces Health Research Institute , Spain
| | - Elena de Prado
- b Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology , University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) , Spain ;,c BioCruces Health Research Institute , Spain
| | - Ane M Gabilondo
- a Department of Pharmacology , University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM) , Spain ;,c BioCruces Health Research Institute , Spain
| | - Luis F Callado
- a Department of Pharmacology , University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM) , Spain ;,c BioCruces Health Research Institute , Spain
| | - Jesús A García-Sevilla
- d Laboratory of Neuropharmacology , IUNICS-IdISPa, University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), and Redes Temáticas de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud-Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RETICS-RTA) , Spain
| | - África García-Orad
- b Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology , University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) , Spain ;,c BioCruces Health Research Institute , Spain
| | - J Javier Meana
- a Department of Pharmacology , University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM) , Spain ;,c BioCruces Health Research Institute , Spain
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α2-adrenoceptor binding in Flinders-sensitive line compared with Flinders-resistant line and Sprague-Dawley rats. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2015; 27:345-52. [PMID: 25903810 DOI: 10.1017/neu.2015.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Disturbances in the noradrenergic system, including alterations in the densities of α2-adrenoceptors, are posited to be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. In this study, we investigate the binding of α2-adrenoceptors in regions relevant to depression in an animal model of depression. METHODS Using in vitro autoradiography techniques and the selective α2-ligand, [3H]RX 821002, we investigated the density of α2-adrenoceptors in female Flinders-sensitive line (FSL) rats, a validated model of depression, and in two traditional control groups - female Flinders-resistant line (FRL) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. RESULTS The α2-adrenoceptor density was increased in most regions of the FSL rat brain when compared with SD rats (10% across regions). Moreover, the α2-adrenoceptor density was further increased in the FRL rats compared with both FSL (10% across regions) and SD rats (24% across regions). CONCLUSIONS The increase in α2-adrenoceptor binding in cortical regions in the FSL strain compared with the SD control strain is in accord with α2-adrenoceptor post-mortem binding data in suicide victims with untreated major depression. However, the differences in binding observed in the two control groups were unexpected and suggest the need for further studies in a larger cohort of animals of both sexes.
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Pytka K, Podkowa K, Rapacz A, Podkowa A, Żmudzka E, Olczyk A, Sapa J, Filipek B. The role of serotonergic, adrenergic and dopaminergic receptors in antidepressant-like effect. Pharmacol Rep 2015; 68:263-74. [PMID: 26922526 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2015.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Revised: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Depression is a serious global illness, becoming more and more common in developed countries. Because of specific symptoms it is considered as a leading cause of disability all over the world with a high death factor due to suicides. There are many antidepressants used in the therapy, but still more than 30% of patients do not respond to the treatment. The heterogeneous nature of the illness and its complex, unclear aetiology may be responsible for these difficulties. Next to the main monoaminergic hypothesis of depression there are also many other approaches connected with the pathophysiology of the disease, including hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation, dopaminergic, cholinergic, glutamatergic or GABA-ergic neurotransmission. Nevertheless, it can be unambiguously stated that serotonergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems are precisely connected with pathogenesis of depression, and should be therefore considered as valuable targets in patients' treatment. Bearing that in mind, this review presents the role of serotonergic, adrenergic and dopaminergic receptors in antidepressant-like effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Pytka
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Karolina Podkowa
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Anna Rapacz
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Adrian Podkowa
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Żmudzka
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Adrian Olczyk
- Institute of Automatic Control, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Jacek Sapa
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Barbara Filipek
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
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Landau AM, Dyve S, Jakobsen S, Alstrup AK, Gjedde A, Doudet DJ. Acute Vagal Nerve Stimulation Lowers α2 Adrenoceptor Availability: Possible Mechanism of Therapeutic Action. Brain Stimul 2015; 8:702-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2015.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Revised: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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Rivero G, Gabilondo AM, García-Sevilla JA, La Harpe R, Callado LF, Meana JJ. Increased α2- and β1-adrenoceptor densities in postmortem brain of subjects with depression: differential effect of antidepressant treatment. J Affect Disord 2015; 167:343-50. [PMID: 25020269 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2014.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Revised: 06/09/2014] [Accepted: 06/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain α2- and β-adrenoceptor alterations have been suggested in suicide and major depressive disorder. METHODS The densities of α2-, β1- and β2-adrenoceptors in postmortem prefrontal cortex of 26 subjects with depression were compared with those of age-, gender- and postmortem delay-matched controls. The effect of antidepressant treatment on α2- and β-adrenoceptor densities was also evaluated. α2- and β-adrenoceptor densities were measured by saturation experiments with respective radioligands [(3)H]UK14304 and [(3)H]CGP12177. β1- and β2-adrenoceptor subtype densities were dissected by means of β1-adrenoceptor selective antagonist CGP20712A. RESULTS Both, α2- and β1-adrenoceptors densities were higher in antidepressant-free depressed subjects (n=14) than those in matched controls (Δ~24%, p=0.013 and Δ~20%, p=0.044, respectively). In antidepressant-treated subjects (n=12), α2-adrenoceptor density remained increased over that in controls (Δ~20%), suggesting a resistance of α2-adrenoceptors to the down-regulatory effect of antidepressants. By contrast, β1-adrenoceptor density in antidepressant-treated depressed subjects was not different from controls, suggesting a possible down-regulation by antidepressants. The down-regulation of β1-adrenoceptor density in antidepressant-treated depressed subjects differs from the unaltered β1-adrenoceptor density observed in citalopram-treated rats and in a group of non-depressed subjects also treated with antidepressants (n=6). β2-adrenoceptor density was not altered in depressed subjects independently of treatment. LIMITATIONS Antidepressant-treated subjects had been treated with a heterogeneous variety of antidepressant drugs. The results should be understood in the context of suicide victims with depression. CONCLUSIONS These results show the up-regulation of brain α2- and β1-adrenoceptors in depression and suggest that the regulation induced by chronic antidepressant treatment would be altered in these subjects.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Animals
- Antidepressive Agents/pharmacology
- Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use
- Depression/drug therapy
- Depression/pathology
- Depressive Disorder, Major/drug therapy
- Depressive Disorder, Major/pathology
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Prefrontal Cortex/drug effects
- Prefrontal Cortex/pathology
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2/analysis
- Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2/drug effects
- Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1/analysis
- Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1/drug effects
- Reference Values
- Signal Transduction/drug effects
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Rivero
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain.
| | - Ane M Gabilondo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain; BioCruces Health Research Institute, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Jesús A García-Sevilla
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Romano La Harpe
- Centre Universitaire Romand de Médicine Légale-site Genève, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Luis F Callado
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain; BioCruces Health Research Institute, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - J Javier Meana
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain; BioCruces Health Research Institute, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain
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Ferdousi M, Lalies M, Wasilewska A, Sączewski F, Hudson A. The effect of 7-fluoro-marsanidine, a novel α2-adrenoceptor agonist, on extracellular noradrenaline in rat frontal cortex: A microdialysis study. Neurosci Lett 2015; 590:47-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.01.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Revised: 01/22/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Kato M, Serretti A, Nonen S, Takekita Y, Wakeno M, Azuma J, Kinoshita T. Genetic variants in combination with early partial improvement as a clinical utility predictor of treatment outcome in major depressive disorder: the result of two pooled RCTs. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5:e513. [PMID: 25710119 PMCID: PMC4445755 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2014] [Revised: 12/24/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacogenetics may allow for a personalized treatment, but a combination with clinical variables may further enhance prediction. In particular, in the present paper, we investigated early partial improvement (EPI) defined as 20% or more improvement by rating scales 2 weeks after treatment, in combination with selected gene variants as a predictor of treatment outcome in patients with major depressive disorder. Two randomized controlled trials with 168 Japanese depressed patients were used. A stepwise multiple linear regression model with HAM-D score change at week 6 as the dependent variable and genotypes, EPI, baseline HAM-D score, age and sex as independent variables was performed in paroxetine, fluvoxamine and milnacipran, respectively, to estimate the prediction of HAM-D change at week 6. In the paroxetine sample, only EPI (P<0.001) was significantly associated with HAM-D change (n=81, R(2)=0.25, P<0.001). In the fluvoxamine sample, 5-HTTLPR La/Lg, S (P=0.029), FGF2 rs1449683C/T (P=0.013) and EPI (P=0.003) were associated with HAM-D change (n=42, R(2)=0.43, P<0.001). In the milnacipran sample, HTR-1A-1019C/G (P=0.001), ADRA2A-1297C/G (P=0.028) and EPI (P<0.001) were associated with outcome (n=45, R(2)=0.71, P<0.001). EPI in combination with genetic variants could be a useful predictor of treatment outcome and could strengthen the practical use of pharmacogenetic data in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kato
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan,Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, 10-15 Fumizono-cho Moriguchi-City, Osaka 570–8506, Japan. E-mail:
| | - A Serretti
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - S Nonen
- Department of Pharmacy, Hyogo University of Health Sciences, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Y Takekita
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - M Wakeno
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - J Azuma
- Department of Pharmacy, Hyogo University of Health Sciences, Hyogo, Japan
| | - T Kinoshita
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan
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α2 Adrenergic Receptor Trafficking as a Therapeutic Target in Antidepressant Drug Action. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2015; 132:207-25. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Cathel AM, Reyes BAS, Wang Q, Palma J, Mackie K, Bockstaele EJV, Kirby LG. Cannabinoid modulation of alpha2 adrenergic receptor function in rodent medial prefrontal cortex. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 40:3202-14. [PMID: 25131562 PMCID: PMC4205194 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids acting at the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) are known to regulate attention, cognition and mood. Previous studies have shown that, in the rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), CB1R agonists increase norepinephrine release, an effect that may be attributed, in part, to CB1Rs localised to noradrenergic axon terminals. The present study was aimed at further characterising functional interactions between CB1R and adrenergic receptor (AR) systems in the mPFC using in vitro intracellular electrophysiology and high-resolution neuroanatomical techniques. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of layer V/VI cortical pyramidal neurons in rats revealed that both acute and chronic treatment with the synthetic CB1R agonist WIN 55,212-2 blocked elevations in cortical pyramidal cell excitability and increases in input resistance evoked by the α2-adrenergic receptor (α2-AR) agonist clonidine, suggesting a desensitisation of α2-ARs. These CB1R-α2-AR interactions were further shown to be both action potential- and gamma-aminobutyric acid-independent. To better define sites of cannabinoid-AR interactions, we localised α2A-adrenergic receptors (α2A-ARs) in a genetically modified mouse that expressed a hemoagglutinin (HA) tag downstream of the α2A-AR promoter. Light and electron microscopy indicated that HA-α2A-AR was distributed in axon terminals and somatodendritic processes especially in layer V of the mPFC. Triple-labeling immunocytochemistry revealed that α2A-AR and CB1R were localised to processes that contained dopamine-β-hydroxylase, a marker of norepinephrine. Furthermore, HA-α2A-AR was localised to processes that were directly apposed to CB1R. These findings suggest multiple sites of interaction between cortical cannabinoid-adrenergic systems that may contribute to understanding the effect of cannabinoids on executive functions and mood.
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MESH Headings
- Action Potentials/drug effects
- Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists/pharmacology
- Animals
- Benzoxazines/pharmacology
- Clonidine/pharmacology
- Gene Knock-In Techniques
- Male
- Mice
- Morpholines/pharmacology
- Naphthalenes/pharmacology
- Prefrontal Cortex/drug effects
- Prefrontal Cortex/physiology
- Prefrontal Cortex/ultrastructure
- Pyramidal Cells/drug effects
- Pyramidal Cells/physiology
- Pyramidal Cells/ultrastructure
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/agonists
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/physiology
- Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2/analysis
- Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2/genetics
- Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2/physiology
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra M. Cathel
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, 3500 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Beverly A. S. Reyes
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qin Wang
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Jonathan Palma
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, 3500 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Kenneth Mackie
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | | | - Lynn G. Kirby
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, 3500 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
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Furczyk K, Schutová B, Michel TM, Thome J, Büttner A. The neurobiology of suicide - A Review of post-mortem studies. J Mol Psychiatry 2013; 1:2. [PMID: 25408895 PMCID: PMC4223890 DOI: 10.1186/2049-9256-1-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2012] [Accepted: 02/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurobiology of suicidal behaviour, which constitutes one of the most serious problems both in psychiatry and general medical practice, still remains to a large degree unclear. As a result, scientists constantly look for new opportunities of explaining the causes underlying suicidality. In order to elucidate the biological changes occurring in the brains of the suicide victims, studies based on post-mortem brain tissue samples are increasingly being used. These studies employ different research methods to provide an insight into abnormalities in brain functioning on various levels, including gene and protein expression, neuroplasticity and neurotransmission, as well as many other areas. The aim of this paper to summarize the available data on the post-mortem studies, to provide an overview of main research directions and the most up-to-date findings, and to indicate the possibilities of further research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Furczyk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rostock, Gehlsheimerstrasse 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Barbora Schutová
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rostock, Gehlsheimerstrasse 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Tanja M Michel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rostock, Gehlsheimerstrasse 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Johannes Thome
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rostock, Gehlsheimerstrasse 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany ; College of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 PP UK
| | - Andreas Büttner
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Rostock, St.-Georg-Strasse 108, 18055 Rostock, Germany
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Wingenfeld K, Kuffel A, Uhlmann C, Terfehr K, Schreiner J, Kuehl LK, Otte C, Löwe B, Spitzer C. Effects of noradrenergic stimulation on memory in patients with major depressive disorder. Stress 2013; 16:191-201. [PMID: 22746337 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2012.708951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated with alterations in the noradrenergic system and impaired memory function. In turn, enhanced memory function has been associated with noradrenergic stimulation. In this study, we examined whether noradrenergic stimulation would differentially improve memory function in patients with MDD and healthy controls. In a placebo-controlled crossover study, 20 patients with MDD and 18 age- and sex-matched healthy controls received either placebo or 5 mg of yohimbine, an alpha-2-adrenoceptor antagonist that causes increased noradrenergic activity, orally before memory testing. A word list paradigm was used to test memory consolidation. Furthermore, the autobiographical memory test assessing memory retrieval and a working memory test were administered. Salivary alpha-amylase and blood pressure were measured. Yohimbine improved memory consolidation (word list learning) across groups (main effect of yohimbine: p = 0.05). This effect was more prominent in depressed patients compared with controls (post hoc t-test: MDD p = 0.01, controls p = 0.77). Memory retrieval (autobiographical memory specificity) and working memory were not affected by yohimbine. Across groups, yohimbine administration resulted in an increase in blood pressure and alpha-amylase. In sum, these results further support the hypothesis that noradrenergic stimulation enhances memory consolidation. The mechanism by which yohimbine leads to stronger memory consolidation in depressed patients compared with healthy controls remains to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Wingenfeld
- Department of Psychiatry, Charité University Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Eschenallee 3, 14050 Berlin, Germany.
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β-Arrestins in the Central Nervous System. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2013; 118:267-95. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-394440-5.00011-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Abstract
Stress is known to activate distinct neuronal circuits in the brain and induce multiple changes on the cellular level, including alterations in neuronal structures. On the basis of clinical observations that stress often precipitates a depressive disease, chronic psychosocial stress serves as an experimental model to evaluate the cellular and molecular alterations associated with the consequences of major depression. Antidepressants are presently believed to exert their primary biochemical effects by readjusting aberrant intrasynaptic concentrations of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin or noradrenaline, suggesting that imbalances viihin the monoaminergic systems contribute to the disorder (monoaminergic hypothesis of depression). Here, we reviev the results that comprise our understanding of stressful experience on cellular processes, with particular focus on the monoaminergic systems and structural changes within brain target areas of monoaminergic neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eberhard Fuchs
- Clinical Neurobiology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
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Cottingham C, Wang Q. α2 adrenergic receptor dysregulation in depressive disorders: implications for the neurobiology of depression and antidepressant therapy. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2012; 36:2214-25. [PMID: 22910678 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2012] [Revised: 06/27/2012] [Accepted: 07/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Dysfunction in noradrenergic neurotransmission has long been theorized to occur in depressive disorders. The α2 adrenergic receptor (AR) family, as a group of key players in regulating the noradrenergic system, has been investigated for involvement in the neurobiology of depression and mechanisms of antidepressant therapies. However, a clear picture of the α2ARs in depressive disorders has not been established due to the existence of apparently conflicting findings in the literature. In this article, we report that a careful accounting of methodological differences within the literature can resolve the present lack of consensus on involvement of α2ARs in depression. In particular, the pharmacological properties of the radioligand (e.g. agonist versus antagonist) utilized for determining receptor density are crucial in determining study outcome. Upregulation of α2AR density detected by radiolabeled agonists but not by antagonists in patients with depressive disorders suggests a selective increase in the density of high-affinity conformational state α2ARs, which is indicative of enhanced G protein coupling to the receptor. Importantly, this high-affinity state α2AR upregulation can be normalized with antidepressant treatments. Thus, depressive disorders appear to be associated with increased α2AR sensitivity and responsiveness, which may represent a physiological basis for the putative noradrenergic dysfunction in depressive disorders. In addition, we review changes in some key α2AR accessory proteins in depressive disorders and discuss their potential contribution to α2AR dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Cottingham
- Department of Cell, Developmental & Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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31
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Carvalho AF, Van Bockstaele EJ. Cannabinoid modulation of noradrenergic circuits: implications for psychiatric disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2012; 38:59-67. [PMID: 22296986 PMCID: PMC3351574 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2012.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2011] [Revised: 01/17/2012] [Accepted: 01/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The interaction between the endocannabinoid system and catecholaminergic circuits has gained increasing attention as it is recognized that the development of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists/antagonists or compounds targeting endocannabinoid synthesis/metabolism may hold some therapeutic potential for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. The noradrenergic system plays a critical role in the modulation of emotional state, primarily related to anxiety, arousal, and stress. Recent evidence suggests that the endocannabinoid system mediates stress responses and emotional homeostasis, in part, by targeting noradrenergic circuits. This review summarizes our current knowledge regarding the anatomical substrates underlying regulation of noradrenergic circuitry by the endocannabinoid system. It then presents biochemical evidence showing an important effect of cannabinoid modulation on adrenergic receptor signaling. Finally, new evidence from behavioral pharmacology studies is provided demonstrating that norepinephrine is a critical determinant of cannabinoid-induced aversion, adding another dimension to how central noradrenergic circuitry is regulated by the cannabinoid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Franky Carvalho
- Neuroscience, Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Life and Health Science Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal,ICVS/3B’s – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
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32
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Lauterbach EC. An extension of hypotheses regarding rapid-acting, treatment-refractory, and conventional antidepressant activity of dextromethorphan and dextrorphan. Med Hypotheses 2012; 78:693-702. [PMID: 22401777 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2012.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2011] [Accepted: 02/10/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
It was previously hypothesized that dextromethorphan (DM) and dextrorphan (DX) may possess antidepressant properties, including rapid and conventional onsets of action and utility in treatment-refractory depression, based on pharmacodynamic similarities to ketamine. These similarities included sigma-1 (σ(1)) agonist and NMDA antagonist properties, calcium channel blockade, muscarinic binding, serotonin transporter (5HTT) inhibition, and μ receptor potentiation. Here, six specific hypotheses are developed in light of additional mechanisms and evidence. Comparable potencies to ketamine for DM and DX are detailed for σ(1) (DX>DM>ketamine), NMDA PCP site (DX>ketamine>DM), and muscarinic (DX>ketamine>>>>DM) receptors, 5HTT (DM>DX≫ketamine), and NMDA antagonist potentiation of μ receptor stimulation (DM>ketamine). Rapid acting antidepressant properties of DM include NMDA high-affinity site, NMDR-2A, and functional NMDR-2B receptor antagonism, σ(1) stimulation, putative mTOR activation (by σ(1) stimulation, μ potentiation, and 5HTT inhibition), putative AMPA receptor trafficking (by mTOR activation, PCP antagonism, σ(1) stimulation, μ potentiation, and 5HTT inhibition), and dendritogenesis, spinogenesis, synaptogenesis, and neuronal survival by NMDA antagonism and σ(1) and mTOR signaling. Those for dextrorphan include NMDA high-affinity site and NMDR-2A antagonism, σ(1) stimulation, putative mTOR activation (by σ(1) stimulation and ß adrenoreceptor stimulation), putative AMPA receptor trafficking (by mTOR activation, PCP antagonism, σ(1) stimulation, ß stimulation, and μ antagonism), and dendritogenesis, spinogenesis, synaptogenesis, and neuronal survival by NMDA antagonism and σ(1) and mTOR signaling. Conventional antidepressant properties for dextromethorphan and dextrorphan include 5HTT and norepinephrine transporter inhibition, σ(1) stimulation, NMDA and PCP antagonism, and possible serotonin 5HT1b/d receptor stimulation. Additional properties for dextromethorphan include possible presynaptic α(2) adrenoreceptor antagonism or postsynaptic α(2) stimulation and, for dextrorphan, ß stimulation and possible muscarinic and μ antagonism. Treatment-refractory depression properties include increased serotonin and norepinephrine availability, PCP, NMDR-2B, presynaptic alpha-2 antagonism, and the multiplicity of other antidepressant receptor mechanisms. Suggestions for clinical trials are provided for oral high-dose dextromethorphan and Nuedexta (dextromethorphan combined with quinidine to block metabolism to dextrorphan, thereby increasing dextromethorphan plasma concentrations). Suggestions include exclusionary criteria, oral dosing, observation periods, dose-response approaches, and safety and tolerability are considered. Although oral dextromethorphan may be somewhat more likely to show efficacy through complementary antidepressant mechanisms of dextrorphan, a clinical trial will be more logistically complex than one of Nuedexta due to high doses and plasma level variability. Clinical trials may increase our therapeutic armamentarium and our pharmacological understanding of treatment-refractory depression and antidepressant onset of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward C Lauterbach
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, 1550 College Street, Macon, GA 31201, United States.
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33
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Chronic desipramine treatment alters tyrosine hydroxylase but not norepinephrine transporter immunoreactivity in norepinephrine axons in the rat prefrontal cortex. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2011; 14:1219-32. [PMID: 21208501 PMCID: PMC3117082 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145710001525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacological blockade of norepinephrine (NE) reuptake is clinically effective in treating several mental disorders. Drugs that bind to the NE transporter (NET) alter both protein levels and activity of NET and also the catecholamine synthetic enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). We examined the rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) by electron microscopy to determine whether the density and subcellular distribution of immunolabelling for NET and co-localization of NET with TH within individual NE axons were altered by chronic treatment with the selective NE uptake inhibitor desipramine (DMI). Following DMI treatment (21 d, 15 mg/kg.d), NET-immunoreactive (ir) axons were significantly less likely to co-localize TH. This finding is consistent with reports of reduced TH levels and activity in the locus coeruleus after chronic DMI and indicates a reduction of NE synthetic capacity in the PFC. Measures of NET expression and membrane localization, including the number of NET-ir profiles per tissue area sampled, the number of gold particles per NET-ir profile area, and the proportion of gold particles associated with the plasma membrane, were similar in DMI- and vehicle-treated rats. These findings were verified using two different antibodies directed against distinct epitopes of the NET protein. The results suggest that chronic DMI treatment does not reduce NET expression within individual NE axons in vivo or induce an overall translocation of NET protein away from the plasma membrane in the PFC as measured by ultrastructural immunogold labelling. Our findings encourage consideration of possible post-translational mechanisms for regulating NET activity in antidepressant-induced modulation of NE clearance.
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34
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Cottingham C, Chen Y, Jiao K, Wang Q. The antidepressant desipramine is an arrestin-biased ligand at the α(2A)-adrenergic receptor driving receptor down-regulation in vitro and in vivo. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:36063-36075. [PMID: 21859713 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.261578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurobiological mechanisms of action underlying antidepressant drugs remain poorly understood. Desipramine (DMI) is an antidepressant classically characterized as an inhibitor of norepinephrine reuptake. Available evidence, however, suggests a mechanism more complex than simple reuptake inhibition. In the present study, we have characterized the direct interaction between DMI and the α(2A)-adrenergic receptor (α(2A)AR), a key regulator of noradrenergic neurotransmission with altered expression and function in depression. DMI alone was found to be sufficient to drive receptor internalization acutely and a robust down-regulation of α(2A)AR expression and signaling following prolonged stimulation in vitro. These effects are achieved through arrestin-biased regulation of the receptor, as DMI selectively induces recruitment of arrestin but not activation of heterotrimeric G proteins. Meanwhile, a physiologically relevant concentration of endogenous agonist (norepinephrine) was unable to sustain a down-regulation response. Prolonged in vivo administration of DMI resulted in significant down-regulation of synaptic α(2A)AR expression, a response that was lost in arrestin3-null animals. We contend that direct DMI-driven arrestin-mediated α(2A)AR down-regulation accounts for the therapeutically desirable but mechanistically unexplained adaptive alterations in receptor expression associated with this antidepressant. Our results provide novel insight into both the pharmacology of this antidepressant drug and the targeting of the α(2A)AR in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Cottingham
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - Yunjia Chen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - Kai Jiao
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - Qin Wang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294.
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35
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Cottingham C, Chen H, Chen Y, Peng Y, Wang Q. Genetic variations of α(2)-adrenergic receptors illuminate the diversity of receptor functions. CURRENT TOPICS IN MEMBRANES 2011; 67:161-90. [PMID: 21771490 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-384921-2.00008-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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36
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González-Maeso J, Meana JJ. Heterotrimeric g proteins: insights into the neurobiology of mood disorders. Curr Neuropharmacol 2010; 4:127-38. [PMID: 18615130 DOI: 10.2174/157015906776359586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2005] [Revised: 11/28/2005] [Accepted: 01/05/2006] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mood disorders such as major depression and bipolar disorder are common, severe, chronic and often life-threatening illnesses. Suicide is estimated to be the cause of death in up to approximately 10-15% of individuals with mood disorders. Alterations in the signal transduction through G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) pathways have been reported in the etiopathology of mood disorders and the suicidal behavior. In this regard, the implication of certain GPCR subtypes such as alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor has been repeatedly described using different approaches. However, several discrepancies have been recently reported in density and functional status of the heterotrimeric G proteins both in major depression and bipolar disorder. A compilation of the most relevant research topics about the implication of heterotrimeric G proteins in the etiology of mood disorders (i.e., animal models of mood disorders, studies in peripheral tissue of depressive patients, and studies in postmortem human brain of suicide victims with mood disorders) will provide a broad perspective of this potential therapeutic target field. Proposed causes of the discrepancies reported at the level of G proteins in postmortem human brain of suicide victims will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamun Q Rahman
- Gartnavel General Hospital, Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, 1053 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 0YN, UK ;
| | - Kanna Ramaesh
- Gartnavel General Hospital, Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, 1053 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 0YN, UK ;
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38
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Alpha2-adrenoceptor blockade accelerates the neurogenic, neurotrophic, and behavioral effects of chronic antidepressant treatment. J Neurosci 2010; 30:1096-109. [PMID: 20089918 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2309-09.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Slow-onset adaptive changes that arise from sustained antidepressant treatment, such as enhanced adult hippocampal neurogenesis and increased trophic factor expression, play a key role in the behavioral effects of antidepressants. alpha(2)-Adrenoceptors contribute to the modulation of mood and are potential targets for the development of faster acting antidepressants. We investigated the influence of alpha(2)-adrenoceptors on adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Our results indicate that alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonists, clonidine and guanabenz, decrease adult hippocampal neurogenesis through a selective effect on the proliferation, but not the survival or differentiation, of progenitors. These effects persist in dopamine beta-hydroxylase knock-out (Dbh(-/-)) mice lacking norepinephrine, supporting a role for alpha(2)-heteroceptors on progenitor cells, rather than alpha(2)-autoreceptors on noradrenergic neurons that inhibit norepinephrine release. Adult hippocampal progenitors in vitro express all the alpha(2)-adrenoceptor subtypes, and decreased neurosphere frequency and BrdU incorporation indicate direct effects of alpha(2)-adrenoceptor stimulation on progenitors. Furthermore, coadministration of the alpha(2)-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine with the antidepressant imipramine significantly accelerates effects on hippocampal progenitor proliferation, the morphological maturation of newborn neurons, and the increase in expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor implicated in the neurogenic and behavioral effects of antidepressants. Finally, short-duration (7 d) yohimbine and imipramine treatment results in robust behavioral responses in the novelty suppressed feeding test, which normally requires 3 weeks of treatment with classical antidepressants. Our results demonstrate that alpha(2)-adrenoceptors, expressed by progenitor cells, decrease adult hippocampal neurogenesis, while their blockade speeds up antidepressant action, highlighting their importance as targets for faster acting antidepressants.
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39
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Carvalho AF, Mackie K, Van Bockstaele EJ. Cannabinoid modulation of limbic forebrain noradrenergic circuitry. Eur J Neurosci 2010; 31:286-301. [PMID: 20074224 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.07054.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Both the endocannabinoid and noradrenergic systems have been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders. Importantly, low levels of norepinephrine are seen in patients with depression, and antagonism of the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) is able to induce depressive symptoms in rodents and humans. Whether the interaction between the two systems is important for the regulation of these behaviors is not known. In the present study, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were acutely or chronically administered the CB1R synthetic agonist WIN 55,212-2, and alpha2A and beta1 adrenergic receptors (AR) were quantified by Western blot. These AR have been shown to be altered in a number of psychiatric disorders and following antidepressant treatment. CB1R agonist treatment induced a differential decrease in alpha2A- and beta1-ARs in the nucleus accumbens (Acb). Moreover, to assess long-lasting changes induced by CB1R activation, some of the chronically treated rats were killed 7 days following the last injection. This revealed a persistent effect on alpha2A-AR levels. Furthermore, the localization of CB1R with respect to noradrenergic profiles was assessed in the Acb and in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Our results show a significant topographic distribution of CB1R and dopamine beta hydroxylase immunoreactivities (ir) in the Acb, with higher co-localization observed in the NTS. In the Acb, CB1R-ir was found in terminals forming either symmetric or asymmetric synapses. These results suggest that cannabinoids may modulate noradrenergic signaling in the Acb, directly by acting on noradrenergic neurons in the NTS or indirectly by modulating inhibitory and excitatory input in the Acb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana F Carvalho
- Neurosurgery, Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
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40
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Abstract
In this review, we examine the history of the neurobiology of suicide, as well as the genetics, molecular and neurochemical findings in suicide research. Our analysis begins with a summary of family, twin, and adoption studies, which provide support for the investigation of genetic variation in suicide risk. This leads to an overview of neurochemical findings restricted to neurotransmitters and their receptors, including recent findings in whole genome gene expression studies. Next, we look at recent studies investigating lipid metabolism, cell signalling with a particular emphasis on growth factors, stress systems with a focus on the role of polyamines, and finally, glial cell pathology in suicide. We conclude with a description of new ideas to study the neurobiology of suicide, including subject-specific analysis, protein modification assessment, neuroarchitecture studies, and study design strategies to investigate the complex suicide phenotype.
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41
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Sequeira A, Mamdani F, Ernst C, Vawter MP, Bunney WE, Lebel V, Rehal S, Klempan T, Gratton A, Benkelfat C, Rouleau GA, Mechawar N, Turecki G. Global brain gene expression analysis links glutamatergic and GABAergic alterations to suicide and major depression. PLoS One 2009; 4:e6585. [PMID: 19668376 PMCID: PMC2719799 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0006585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 271] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2008] [Accepted: 05/04/2009] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most studies investigating the neurobiology of depression and suicide have focused on the serotonergic system. While it seems clear that serotonergic alterations play a role in the pathogenesis of these major public health problems, dysfunction in additional neurotransmitter systems and other molecular alterations may also be implicated. Microarray expression studies are excellent screening tools to generate hypotheses about additional molecular processes that may be at play. In this study we investigated brain regions that are known to be implicated in the neurobiology of suicide and major depression are likely to represent valid global molecular alterations. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We performed gene expression analysis using the HG-U133AB chipset in 17 cortical and subcortical brain regions from suicides with and without major depression and controls. Total mRNA for microarray analysis was obtained from 663 brain samples isolated from 39 male subjects, including 26 suicide cases and 13 controls diagnosed by means of psychological autopsies. Independent brain samples from 34 subjects and animal studies were used to control for the potential confounding effects of comorbidity with alcohol. Using a Gene Ontology analysis as our starting point, we identified molecular pathways that may be involved in depression and suicide, and performed follow-up analyses on these possible targets. Methodology included gene expression measures from microarrays, Gene Score Resampling for global ontological profiling, and semi-quantitative RT-PCR. We observed the highest number of suicide specific alterations in prefrontal cortical areas and hippocampus. Our results revealed alterations of synaptic neurotransmission and intracellular signaling. Among these, Glutamatergic (GLU) and GABAergic related genes were globally altered. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR results investigating expression of GLU and GABA receptor subunit genes were consistent with microarray data. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The observed results represent the first overview of global expression changes in brains of suicide victims with and without major depression and suggest a global brain alteration of GLU and GABA receptor subunit genes in these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adolfo Sequeira
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Firoza Mamdani
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Carl Ernst
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marquis P. Vawter
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - William E. Bunney
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Veronique Lebel
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sonia Rehal
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Tim Klempan
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alain Gratton
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Chawki Benkelfat
- Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Guy A. Rouleau
- Ste Justine Hospital, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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The alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor gene polymorphism modifies antidepressant responses to milnacipran. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2008; 28:518-24. [PMID: 18794646 DOI: 10.1097/jcp.0b013e31818455fc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor (ADRA2A) plays a central role in the regulation of systemic sympathetic activity. Recently, the functional defect of ADRA2A has been implicated as a cause of depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Tourette syndrome. In this study, the effect of genetic variants of the ADRA2A gene on the response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)/serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) was examined in depressed patients. METHOD Ninety-three Japanese depressed patients were recruited in the present study, assigned randomly to paroxetine or milnacipran, and assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) scoring every 2 weeks before and after drug administration. The ADRA2A C-1297G polymorphism was considered in the association analysis with the efficacy of antidepressants. RESULTS There were significant differences in the HAM-D percent score change over time (P = 0.019) among C/C, C/G, and G/G of the ADRA2A C-1297G polymorphism in the total subjects. The C allele carriers of the ADRA2A C-1297G polymorphism showed a significantly better improvement than G/G subjects at weeks 2, 4, and over time (P = 0.037) in the milnacipran group. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest that ADRA2A plays an important role in depression therapy. The level of ADRA2A expression could be associated with the efficacy of SSRIs/SNRIs, especially milnacipran, although the functional change brought about by C-1297G polymorphism has not yet been fully identified in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSIONS The ADRA2A polymorphism could be a reasonable candidate to predict the response to milnacipran. Our results are still preliminary, and a large sample size will be required to confirm our findings. However, to the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to suggest a possible association of ADRA2A variants with the SNRI response.
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Fukutake M, Hishimoto A, Nishiguchi N, Nushida H, Ueno Y, Shirakawa O, Maeda K. Association of alpha2A-adrenergic receptor gene polymorphism with susceptibility to suicide in Japanese females. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2008; 32:1428-33. [PMID: 18547701 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2008.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2007] [Revised: 01/31/2008] [Accepted: 02/08/2008] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES It has been suggested that noradrenergic system abnormalities are involved in suicide. Postmortem brain studies have shown that molecular and functional alterations in alpha2A-adrenergic receptor-induced signal transduction are associated with suicide and depression. Recently, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within a coding region of the alpha2A-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRA2A), which results in an Asn-to-Lys change at amino acid 251 (N251K), has been implicated in susceptibility to suicide in Caucasians. The aim of our study is to determine whether genetic variants of the ADRA2A gene are also associated with suicide in a Japanese population. METHODS Three SNPs, C-1291G, N251K and rs3750625C/A, and one insertion/deletion polymorphism in the ADRA2A gene were genotyped in 184 completed suicides and 221 control subjects with the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. RESULTS Neither variation of the N251K SNP nor the insertion/deletion polymorphism was found in our Japanese samples. The C-1291G SNP in the promoter region was found to be significantly associated with suicide in females (P=0.043 and 0.013 for genotypic and allelic comparisons, respectively). One of the common haplotypes, CC of C-1291G and rs3750625C/A, was also associated with suicide in females (P=0.015). These associations were also significant in the female violent suicide victims (P=0.009 and 0.009 for allelic and CC haplotypic comparisons, respectively). Although the significance was nominal, it was maintained even after correction for multiple comparisons. By contrast, neither of these two SNPs showed any association with violent and/or non-violent suicide in males. CONCLUSION Our results raise the possibility that promoter genetic variation in the ADRA2A gene is associated with either suicide or violent suicide in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaaki Fukutake
- Department of Psychiatry, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan.
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Specific binding of [3H]Ro 19-6327 (lazabemide) to monoamine oxidase B is increased in frontal cortex of suicide victims after controlling for age at death. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2008; 18:55-61. [PMID: 17570647 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2007.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2006] [Revised: 04/04/2007] [Accepted: 05/07/2007] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have reported negative findings for the association among brain monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) and suicidal behaviour. However those studies did not adequately control their main results for the influence of confounding variables such as age at death. We have evaluated the association of MAO-B density (assessed by [3H]Ro 19-6327 - lazabemide - binding) with type of death (suicide victims vs non-suicide controls) after controlling for age at death. Frontal cortex samples from 43 subjects (21 suicides, 22 controls) were assayed for MAO-B density at a single concentration of lazabemide (8 nM). A linear regression modelling approach comparing nested models resulted with both type of death (p<0.05) and age of death (p<0.01) as main explanatory variables for the variability of MAO-B density. Suicide victims had >30% more binding sites for lazabemide than controls. Contrary to previous reports, MAO-B density seems to increase in suicide victims.
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Deupree JD, Reed AL, Bylund DB. Differential Effects of the Tricyclic Antidepressant Desipramine on the Density of Adrenergic Receptors in Juvenile and Adult Rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2007; 321:770-6. [PMID: 17293562 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.106.118935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the tricyclic antidepressants, such as desipramine (DMI), are among the most efficacious treatments for adult depression, they are not effective in treating childhood and adolescent depression. Because the adrenergic nervous system is not fully developed until late adolescence, we hypothesized that the mechanisms regulating receptor density may not yet be mature in young mammals. To test this hypothesis, the effects of DMI treatment on cortical alpha-1-, alpha-2-, and beta-adrenergic receptors were compared in juvenile and adult rats. DMI was delivered either by 4 days of twice daily injections to postnatal day 9 to 13 (4 and 7 mg/kg/day) and adult (20 mg/kg/day) rats, or by 2 weeks of continual drug infusion (osmotic minipumps) to postnatal day 21-35 (15 mg/kg/day) and adult (10 mg/kg/day) rats. These delivery paradigms gave juvenile brain concentrations of DMI similar to those in adult rats. The beta-adrenergic receptor was down-regulated with both treatment paradigms in both juvenile and adult rats. By contrast, in the postnatal day 9 to 13 rats, there was a dose-dependent up-regulation of the alpha-1 in the cortex and alpha-2-adrenergic receptor in the prefrontal cortex, whereas there was no change in density in adult rats. These differences in the alpha-adrenergic receptor regulation after DMI treatment suggest that the lack of efficacy of tricyclic antidepressants in treating childhood depression may be related to immature regulatory mechanisms for these receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean D Deupree
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5800, USA
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Velasco F, Velasco M, Jiménez F, Velasco AL, Salin-Pascual R. Neurobiological background for performing surgical intervention in the inferior thalamic peduncle for treatment of major depression disorders. Neurosurgery 2006; 57:439-48; discussion 439-48. [PMID: 16145522 DOI: 10.1227/01.neu.0000172172.51818.51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To present a review of evidence for an inhibitory thalamo-orbitofrontal system related to physiopathology of major depression disorders (MDDs) and to postulate that interfering with hyperactivity of the thalamo-orbitofrontal system by means of chronic high-frequency electrical stimulation of its main fiber connection, the inferior thalamic peduncle (ITP), may result in an improvement in patients with MDD. METHODS Experimentally, the thalamo-orbitofrontal system has been proposed as part of the nonspecific thalamic system. Under normal conditions, the nonspecific thalamic system induces characteristic electrocortical synchronization in the form of recruiting responses that mimic some sleep stages. It also inhibits input of irrelevant sensory stimuli, thus facilitating the process of selective attention. Permanent disruption of the system, via lesioning or temporary inactivation through cooling of the ITP with cryoprobes, results in a state of hyperkinesia, increased attention, and cortical desynchronization. RESULTS Surgical lesioning of the medial part of orbitofrontal cortex and white matter overlying area 13, which includes the ITP, may result in significant improvement in MDD. Imaging studies (functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography) consistently demonstrate hyperactivity in the orbitofrontal cortex and midline thalamic regions during episodes of MDD. This hyperactivity decreases with efficient control of MDD by medical treatment, indicating that orbitofrontal cortex and midline thalamic overactivity are related to the depressive condition. Conversely, noradrenergic and serotoninergic systems in the frontal lobes have been implicated in the pathophysiology of MDD. Although noradrenergic receptor density in the frontal lobe is consistently increased in depressed patients who commit suicide, 5-hydroxytryptamine reuptake blockers, which are potent antidepressive drugs, decrease hypermetabolism in the orbital frontal cortex in MDD. Therefore, the serotonin hypothesis for depression postulates that norepinephrine and serotonin in the frontal lobes are required to maintain antidepressive responsiveness. Dysregulation of the secretion of both neurotransmitters initiates overactivity of orbitofrontal cortex, resulting in depression. It is possible that surgical interventions in this region, including electrical stimulation of ITP, disrupt adrenergic and serotoninergic dysregulation in patients with MDD. CONCLUSION Circumscribed lesions or electrical stimulation of the ITP, a discrete target easily identified by electrophysiological studies, may improve MDD. Electrical stimulation may have the advantage of being less invasive and more adjustable to patient needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Velasco
- Unit for Stereotactic, Functional Neurosurgery and Radiosurgery, General Hospital of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Sugawara Y, Higuchi H, Yoshida K, Takahashi H, Kamata M, Naito S, Sato K, Shimizu T. Response Rate Obtained Using Milnacipran Depending on the Severity of Depression in the Treatment of Major Depressive Patients. Clin Neuropharmacol 2006; 29:6-9. [PMID: 16518126 DOI: 10.1097/00002826-200601000-00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Milnacipran--a new specific serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor--is as effective as tricyclic antidepressants and exhibits a higher remission rate for major depressive patients than selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. However, the effectiveness of milnacipran for severe major depressive patients had not been studied adequately. The study included 96 Japanese patients who fulfilled the DSM-IV criteria for the diagnosis of major depressive disorders and whose score on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) was 21 or higher. Of these, 16 patients were excluded because 10 did not complete the study, and 6 showed poor compliance. Finally, 80 patients were included. We defined patients with a baseline MADRS score of > or = 31 points as "severe" (n = 25). The remaining patients were classified as "moderate" (31 > MADRS score > or = 25, n = 30) and "mild" (MADRS score < 25, n = 25) using the median score of those patients as the cutoff. Milnacipran was administered twice daily for 6 weeks. The initial total dose was 50 mg/d; after a week it was increased to 100 mg/d. The response rates were 72%, 70%, and 44% in the "severe," "moderate," and "mild," respectively. No significant differences were found between "severe" and the "moderate"; however, significant differences were observed between "severe" and "mild" and "moderate" and "mild." These results demonstrated that milnacipran is almost equally effective in "severe" and "moderate." This study suggested that milnacipran has a reliable antidepressant effect in treating severe and moderate major depressive patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Sugawara
- Department of Psychiatry, Akita University School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
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Martín-Guerrero I, Callado LF, Saitua K, Rivero G, García-Orad A, Meana JJ. The N251K functional polymorphism in the alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor gene is not associated with depression: a study in suicide completers. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2006; 184:82-6. [PMID: 16333651 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-005-0266-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2005] [Accepted: 11/07/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE alpha(2A)-Adrenoceptor up-regulation and supersensitivity have been described in the postmortem brains of depressed suicide victims and in the platelets of depressed subjects. The C to G transversion at nucleotide 753 (Asn to Lys change at amino acid 251 or N251K) is a low-frequency polymorphism of the alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor gene that results in a gain-of-function phenotype. A previous study has suggested an association between completed suicide and this polymorphism. OBJECTIVES The single functional polymorphism N251K was tested in a large sample (n=214) of completed suicides, controlling for the antemortem psychiatric diagnosis, and matched controls (n=176). METHODS Postmortem brain DNA was extracted and the alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor gene fragment was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, followed by a StyI restriction endonuclease digestion. Amplified products were sequenced to confirm the presence of the alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor gene fragment where the polymorphism is located. RESULTS The N251K polymorphism was absent in both suicide victim and control groups. No association between the polymorphism and suicide or depression was established. CONCLUSIONS The N251K polymorphism does not represent a genetic factor to explain the alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor hyperactivity in the brains of depressed suicide victims. Association between suicide and this polymorphism was not replicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idoia Martín-Guerrero
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
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Swaab DF, Bao AM, Lucassen PJ. The stress system in the human brain in depression and neurodegeneration. Ageing Res Rev 2005; 4:141-94. [PMID: 15996533 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2005.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 634] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2005] [Accepted: 03/14/2005] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) plays a central role in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis, i.e., the final common pathway in the stress response. The action of CRH on ACTH release is strongly potentiated by vasopressin, that is co-produced in increasing amounts when the hypothalamic paraventricular neurons are chronically activated. Whereas vasopressin stimulates ACTH release in humans, oxytocin inhibits it. ACTH release results in the release of corticosteroids from the adrenal that, subsequently, through mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors, exert negative feedback on, among other things, the hippocampus, the pituitary and the hypothalamus. The most important glucocorticoid in humans is cortisol, present in higher levels in women than in men. During aging, the activation of the CRH neurons is modest compared to the extra activation observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the even stronger increase in major depression. The HPA-axis is hyperactive in depression, due to genetic factors or due to aversive stimuli that may occur during early development or adult life. At least five interacting hypothalamic peptidergic systems are involved in the symptoms of major depression. Increased production of vasopressin in depression does not only occur in neurons that colocalize CRH, but also in neurons of the supraoptic nucleus (SON), which may lead to increased plasma levels of vasopressin, that have been related to an enhanced suicide risk. The increased activity of oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) may be related to the eating disorders in depression. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), i.e., the biological clock of the brain, shows lower vasopressin production and a smaller circadian amplitude in depression, which may explain the sleeping problems in this disorder and may contribute to the strong CRH activation. The hypothalamo-pituitary thyroid (HPT)-axis is inhibited in depression. These hypothalamic peptidergic systems, i.e., the HPA-axis, the SCN, the SON and the HPT-axis, have many interactions with aminergic systems that are also implicated in depression. CRH neurons are strongly activated in depressed patients, and so is their HPA-axis, at all levels, but the individual variability is large. It is hypothesized that particularly a subgroup of CRH neurons that projects into the brain is activated in depression and induces the symptoms of this disorder. On the other hand, there is also a lot of evidence for a direct involvement of glucocorticoids in the etiology and symptoms of depression. Although there is a close association between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of CRH and alterations in the HPA-axis in depression, much of the CRH in CSF is likely to be derived from sources other than the PVN. Furthermore, a close interaction between the HPA-axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG)-axis exists. Organizing effects during fetal life as well as activating effects of sex hormones on the HPA-axis have been reported. Such mechanisms may be a basis for the higher prevalence of mood disorders in women as compared to men. In addition, the stress system is affected by changing levels of sex hormones, as found, e.g., in the premenstrual period, ante- and postpartum, during the transition phase to the menopause and during the use of oral contraceptives. In depressed women, plasma levels of estrogen are usually lower and plasma levels of androgens are increased, while testosterone levels are decreased in depressed men. This is explained by the fact that both in depressed males and females the HPA-axis is increased in activity, parallel to a diminished HPG-axis, while the major source of androgens in women is the adrenal, whereas in men it is the testes. It is speculated, however, that in the etiology of depression the relative levels of sex hormones play a more important role than their absolute levels. Sex hormone replacement therapy indeed seems to improve mood in elderly people and AD patients. Studies of rats have shown that high levels of cumulative corticosteroid exposure and rather extreme chronic stress induce neuronal damage that selectively affects hippocampal structure. Studies performed under less extreme circumstances have so far provided conflicting data. The corticosteroid neurotoxicity hypothesis that evolved as a result of these initial observations is, however, not supported by clinical and experimental observations. In a few recent postmortem studies in patients treated with corticosteroids and patients who had been seriously and chronically depressed no indications for AD neuropathology, massive cell loss, or loss of plasticity could be found, while the incidence of apoptosis was extremely rare and only seen outside regions expected to be at risk for steroid overexposure. In addition, various recent experimental studies using good stereological methods failed to find massive cell loss in the hippocampus following exposure to stress or steroids, but rather showed adaptive and reversible changes in structural parameters after stress. Thus, the HPA-axis in AD is only moderately activated, possibly due to the initial (primary) hippocampal degeneration in this condition. There are no convincing arguments to presume a causal, primary role for cortisol in the pathogenesis of AD. Although cortisol and CRH may well be causally involved in the signs and symptoms of depression, there is so far no evidence for any major irreversible damage in the human hippocampus in this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dick F Swaab
- Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, Meibergdreef 33, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Bosker FJ, Westerink BHC, Cremers TIFH, Gerrits M, van der Hart MGC, Kuipers SD, van der Pompe G, ter Horst GJ, den Boer JA, Korf J. Future antidepressants: what is in the pipeline and what is missing? CNS Drugs 2004; 18:705-32. [PMID: 15330686 DOI: 10.2165/00023210-200418110-00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Monoamine reuptake inhibitors still reign in the treatment of major depression, but possibly not for long. While medicinal chemists have been able to reduce the side effects of these drugs, their delayed onset of action and considerable non-response rate remain problematic. Of late, serious questions have been raised regarding the efficacy of monoamine reuptake inhibitors. The present review presents an inventory of what is (and until recently was) in the antidepressant pipeline of pharmaceutical companies. Novel antidepressant compounds can be categorised into four groups depending on their target(s): (i) monoamine receptors; (ii) non-monoamine receptors; (iii) neuropeptide receptors; and (iv) hormone receptors. Other possible targets include components of post-receptor intracellular processes and elements of the immune system; to date, however, compounds specifically aimed at these targets have not been the subject of clinical trials. Development of several compounds targeted at monoamine receptors has recently been discontinued. At least five neurokinin-1 (NK(1)) receptor antagonists were until recently in phase II of clinical testing. However, the apparent interest in the NK(1) receptor should not be interpreted as representing a departure from the monoamine hypothesis since neurokinins also modulate monoaminergic systems. In the authors' view, development of future antidepressants will continue to rely on the serendipity-based monoamine hypothesis. However, an alternative approach, based on the hypothesis that chronic stress precipitates depressive symptoms, might be more productive. Unfortunately, clinical results using drugs targeted at components of the HPA axis have not been very encouraging to date. In the short run, the authors believe that augmentation strategies offer the best hope for improving the efficacy of antidepressant treatment. Several approaches to improve the efficacy of SSRIs are conceivable, such as concurrent blockade of monoamine autoreceptors and the addition of antipsychotics, neuromodulators or hormones (HPA axis and gender related). In the long-term, however, construction of a scientifically verified conceptual framework will be needed before more effective antidepressants can be developed. It can be argued that it is not depression itself that should be treated, but rather that its duration should be reduced by pharmacological means. Animal models that take this concept into consideration and identify mechanisms for acceleration of recovery from the effects of stress need to be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fokko J Bosker
- Department of Psychiatry, University and University Hospital of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO Box 30 001, Groningen, 9700 RB, The Netherlands.
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