Bioactive analogs of neurotensin: Focus on CNS effects

Neurotensin (NT) is a 13-amino acid neuropeptide found in the central nervous system and in the gastrointestinal tract. It is closely associated anatomically with dopaminergic and other neurotransmitter systems, and evidence supports a role for NT agonists in the treatment of various neuropsychiatric disorders. However, NT is readily degraded by peptidases, so there is much interest in the development of stable NT agonists, that can be injected systemically, cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB), yet retains the pharmacological characteristics of native NT for therapeutic use in the treatment of diseases such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease and addiction.