Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
2011280 Pharmacological Reports 2010 14 Pages PDF
Abstract

Mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, pose both medical and social challenges. The clinical efficacy of current antidepressant/anxiolytic therapies is unsatisfactory; both antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs induce a variety of unwanted effects and have delayed onsets of action. Thus, a search for better and safer agents is continuously in progress. Preclinical results published so far have brought new insights into the possible role of recently discovered serotonin 5-HT6 receptors in these disorders. This review surveys the current state of knowledge regarding potential antidepressant and anxiolytic activities of selective 5-HT6 receptor ligands, namely, full agonists and antagonists, in animal models commonly used to predict such activity. Evidence indicates that both 5-HT6 agonists and antagonists may evoke identical responses in animal models of depression and anxiety; however, the possible mechanisms of these effects seem to be diverse and are not clearly understood. Especially interesting are the augmented effects achieved by combining antidepressants or diazepam with a selective 5-HT6 receptor antagonist.

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