Does semaglutide reduce alcohol intake in Danish patients with alcohol use disorder and comorbid obesity? Trial protocol of a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial (the SEMALCO trial).

Introduction: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a massive burden for the individual, relatives and society. Despite this, the treatment gap is wide compared with other mental health disorders. Treatment options are sparse, with only three Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved pharmacotherapies.

Consistent evidence that brain serotonin 2A receptor binding is positively associated with personality-based risk markers of depression.

Background: Using [F]altanserin, a serotonin 2A receptor (5-HTR) antagonist Positron Emission Tomography (PET) tracer, a positive association between cortical 5-HTR binding and the inward-directed facets of neuroticism has been demonstrated in healthy individuals. Psilocybin, a 5-HTR agonist, shows promise for the treatment of depression, reducing neuroticism and mood symptoms potentially via hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) modulation. 5-HTR and neuroticism are both modulated by HPA axis function.

DNA methylation of serotonin genes as predictive biomarkers of antidepressant treatment response.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are frequently ineffective in treating depressive episodes and biomarkers are needed to optimize antidepressant treatment outcomes. DNA methylation levels of serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) and tryptophan hydroxylase 2 genes (TPH2) have been suggested to predict antidepressant clinical outcomes but their applicability remains uncertain. In this study, we: 1) evaluated SLC6A4/TPH2 methylation biomarker potential for predicting clinical outcomes after escitalopram treatment; 2) evaluated whether changes in SLC6A4/TPH2 methylation are informative of treatment mechanisms.