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Abstract
Major depression and anxiety are two of the major psychiatric disorders that have some overlapping pathophysiologies, the most significant being the dysfunction in the monoaminergic, GABAergic and glutamatergic systems. A large number of drugs that alter these neurotransmitter levels/systems are effective in the treatment of major depression and anxiety. However, full remission of the clinical symptoms has not been achieved, perhaps owing to the complex pathophysiology of the diseases. Thus, the search for newer targets and target-specific drugs continues. Recently, the role of σ-receptors, particularly the σ-1 receptor subtype, has been identified as a target for the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders, and σ-1 receptor modulators are considered to be the drugs of the future for the treatment of major depression and anxiety. The present review attempts to discuss the role of σ-1 receptors in the pathophysiology of major depression and anxiety and also tries to position the use of its receptor modulators in the treatment of these two major disorders. The role of σ-1 receptors in the mechanism of antidepressant action of venlafaxine, bupropion, neurosteroids and one of the herbal antidepressants, berberine, is reviewed. Although, σ-1 receptor modulators may be future therapeutic options, either as individual agents or adjuvants in the treatment of mental disorders, the topic needs further preclinical and clinical exploration.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.