Reevaluation of the indoleamine hypothesis of depression. Evidence for a reduction of functional activity of central 5-HT systems by antidepressant drugs

S. O. Ögren, K. Fuxe, L. F. Agnati, J. Å Gustafssons, G. Jonsson, A. C. Holm

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

162 Scopus citations

Abstract

The effects of antidepressant drugs on central 5-HT receptor activity were studied in rats and mice. Antidepressant drugs were evaluated for their ability to displace3H-5-HT and3H-d-LSD from membrane binding sites in the dorsal neocortex of rats in vitro and for their ability to block 5-HTP and d-LSD induced behavioral effects in mice. The degree of blockade of head-twitches in mice produced by the antidepressants was highly correlated with their affinity for3H-d-LSD binding sites. A number of antidepressant drugs such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline, mianserine, doxepine, nomifensine and dibenzepine appear to possess marked 5-HT receptor blocking activity at some types of 5-HT receptors in brain. New antidepressant drugs such as zimelidine, which specifically inhibit 5-HT reuptake and do not block 5-HT receptor sites, may after chronic treatment also reduce the functional activity of 5-HT systems by producing adaptive changes in postsynaptic 5-HT mechanisms. Thus, a new indoleamine hypothesis of depression is presented: the therapeutic action of antidepressant drugs may in part be due to a reduced functional activity of some central 5-HT systems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)85-103
Number of pages19
JournalJournal of Neural Transmission
Volume46
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1979

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Biological Psychiatry

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Reevaluation of the indoleamine hypothesis of depression. Evidence for a reduction of functional activity of central 5-HT systems by antidepressant drugs'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this