Promising new pharmacological targets for depression: The search for efficacy.

Drug Discov Today

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, Birmingham, AL, USA; Biomedical Sciences Institute, Department of Human Physiology, Sao Paulo University, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address:

Published: December 2023

Pharmacological treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) still relies on the use of serotonergic drugs, despite their limited efficacy. A few mechanistically new drugs have been developed in recent years, but many fail in clinical trials. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain MDD pathophysiology, indicating that physiological processes such as neuroplasticity, circadian rhythms, and metabolism are potential targets. Here, we review the current state of pharmacological treatments for MDD, as well as the preclinical and clinical evidence for an antidepressant effect of molecules that target non-serotonergic systems. We offer some insights into the challenges facing the development of new antidepressant drugs, and the prospect of finding more effectiveness for each target discussed.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103804DOI Listing

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