Agomelatine, a novel intriguing antidepressant option enhancing neuroplasticity: A critical review

References

• AlAhmed S, Herbert J. 2010. Effect of agomelatine and its interaction with the daily corticosterone rhythm on progenitor cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus of the adult rat. Neuropharmacology 59:375–379.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Alarma-Estrany P, Pintor J. 2007. Melatonin receptors in the eye: location, second messengers and role in ocular physiology. Pharmacol Ther 113:507–522.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Anderson IM. 2000. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors versus tricyclic antidepressants: a meta-analysis of efficacy and tolerability. J Affect Disord 58(1):19–36.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bachis A, Mallei A, Cruz MI, Wellstein A, Mocchetti I. 2008. Chronic antidepressant treatments increase basic fibroblast growth factor and fibroblast growth factor-binding protein in neurons. Neuropharmacology 55:1114–1120.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Balu DT, Lucki I. 2009. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis: regulation, functional implications, and contribution to disease pathology. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 33:232–252.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Banasr M, Soumier A, Hery M, Mocaer E, Daszuta A. 2006. Agomelatine, a new antidepressant, induces regional changes in hippocampal neurogenesis. Biol Psychiatry 59:1087–1096.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Barbiero VS, Giambelli R, Musazzi L, Tiraboschi E, Tardito D, Perez J, et al. 2007. Chronic antidepressants induce redistribution and differential activation of aCaM kinase II between presynaptic compartments. Neuropsychopharmacology 32:2511–2519.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Barden N, Shink E, Labbé M, Vacher R, Rochford J, Mocaër E. 2005. Antidepressant action of agomelatine (S 20098) in a transgenic mouse model. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 29:908–916.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Belmaker RH. 2008. The future of depression psychopharmacology. CNS Spectr 13(8):682–687.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bertaina-Anglade V, la Rochelle CD, Boyer PA, Mocaër E. 2006. Antidepressant-like effects of agomelatine (S 20098) in the learned helplessness model. Behav Pharmacol 17:703–713.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Berton O, Nestler EJ. 2006. New approaches to antidepressant drug discovery: beyond monoamines. Nat Rev Neurosci 7:137–151.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bessa JM, Ferreira D, Melo I, Marques F, Cerqueira JJ, Palha JA, et al. 2009. The mood-improving actions of antidepressants do not depend on neurogenesis but are associated with neuronal remodeling. Mol Psychiatry 14(8):764–773.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bourin M, Mocaër E, Porsolt R. 2004. Antidepressant-like activity of S 20098 (agomelatine) in the forced swimming test in rodents: involvement of melatonin and serotonin receptors. J Psychiatry Neurosci 29:126–133.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Cajochen C, Kräuchi K, Möri D, Graw P, Wirz-Justice A. 1997. Melatonin and S-20098 increase REM sleep and wake-up propensity without modifying NREM sleep homeostasis. Am J Physiol 272(4 Pt 2):R1189–1196.
   Google Scholar
• Calabrese JR, Guelfi JD, Perdrizet-Chevallier C. 2007. Agomelatine adjunctive therapy for acute bipolar depression: preliminary open data. Bipolar Disord 9(6):628–635.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Calabrese F, Molteni R, Racagni G, Riva MA. 2009. Neuronal plasticity: a link between stress and mood disorders. Psychoneuroendocrinology 34(Suppl 1):S208–216.
   Google Scholar
• Calabrese F, Molteni R, Cattaneo A, Macchi F, Racagni G, Gennarelli M, et al. 2010. Long-term duloxetine treatment normalizes altered brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in serotonin transporter knockout rats through the modulation of specific neurotrophin isoforms. Mol Pharmacol 77(5):846–853.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Calabrese F, Molteni R, Gabriel C, Mocaer E, Racagni G, Riva MA. 2011. Modulation of neuroplastic molecules in selected brain regions after chronic administration of the novel antidepressant agomelatine. Psychopharmacology 215(2):267–275.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Cao L, Jiao X, Zuzga DS, Liu Y, Fong DM, Young D, et al. 2004. VEGF links hippocampal activity with neurogenesis, learning and memory. Nat Genet 36:827–835.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Castren E. 2005. Is mood chemistry?. Nat Rev Neurosci 6:241–246.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Castren E, Voikar V, Rantamaki T. 2007. Role of neurotrophic factors in depression. Curr Opin Pharmacol 7:18–21.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Conboy L, Tanrikut C, Zoladz PR, Campbell AM, Park CR, Gabriel C, et al. 2009. The antidepressant agomelatine blocks the adverse effects of stress on memory and enables spatial learning to rapidly increase neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) expression in the hippocampus of rats. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 12:329–341.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Conti AC, Cryan JF, Dalvi A, Lucki I, Blendy Julie A. 2002. cAMP Response element-binding protein is essential for the upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor transcription, but not the behavioral or endocrine responses to antidepressant drugs. J Neurosci 22(8):3262–3268.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Dagyte G, Trentani A, Postema F, Luiten PG, Den Boer JA, Gabriel C, et al. 2010. The novel antidepressant agomelatine normalizes hippocampal neuronal activity and promotes neurogenesis in chronically stressed rats. CNS Neurosci Ther 16(4):195–207.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Dagyte G, Luiten PG, De Jager T, Gabriel C, Mocaër E, Den Boer JA, et al. 2011. Chronic stress and antidepressant agomelatine induce region-specific changes in synapsin I expression in the rat brain. J Neurosci Res 89(10):1646–1657.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Daszuta A, Ban M Sr, Soumier A, Hery M, Mocaer E. 2005. [Depression and neuroplasticity: implication of serotoninergic systems]. Therapie 60(5):461–468.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Di Giannantonio M, Di Iorio G, Guglielmo R, De Berardis D, Conti CM, Acciavatti T, et al. 2011. Major depressive disorder, anhedonia and agomelatine: an open-label study. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents 25(1):109–114.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Dubocovich ML, Riviera-Bermudez MA, Gerdin MJ, Masana MI. 2003. Molecular pharmacology, regulation and function of mammalian melatonin receptors. Front Biosci 8:d1093–1098.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Duman RS. 2004. Role of neurotrophic factors in the etiology and treatment of mood disorders. Neuromol Med 5:11–25.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Duman RS, Malberg J, Thome J. 1999. Neural plasticity to stress and antidepressant treatment. Biol Psychiatry 46(9):1181–1191.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Eriksson PS, Perfilieva E, Björk-Eriksson T, Alborn AM, Nordborg C, Peterson DA, et al. 1998. Neurogenesis in the adult human hippocampus. Nat Med 4(11):1313–1317.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• European Medicines Agency. 2008. CMHP assessment report for valdoxan. 20 November 2008 [online]. Available from URL: http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Public_assessment_report/human/000915/WC500046226.pdf [accessed 1 November 2012].
   Google Scholar
• Fornaro M, Prestia D, Colicchio S, Perugi G. 2010. A systematic, updated review on the antidepressant agomelatine focusing on its melatonergic modulation. Curr Neuropharmacol 8(3):287–304.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Fuchs E. 2009. Neuroplasticity: a new approach to the pathophysiology of depression. In: Costa e Silva JA, Macher JP, Olié JP, editors. Neuroplasticity: new biochemical mechanisms. UK: Current Medicine Group. p 1–12.
   Google Scholar
• Goodwin GM, Emsley R, Rembry S, Rouillon F; Agomelatine Study Group. 2009. Agomelatine Study Group. Agomelatine prevents relapse in patients with major depressive disorder without evidence of a discontinuation syndrome: a 24-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Clin Psychiatry 70(8):1128–1137.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Grassi-Zucconi G, Semprevivo M, Mocaer E, Kristensson K, Bentivoglio M. 1996. Melatonin and its new agonist S-20098 restore synchronized sleep fragmented by experimental trypanosome infection in the rat. Brain Res Bull 39(2):63–68.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Groves JO. 2007. Is it time to reassess the BDNF hypothesis of depression?. Mol Psychiatry 12(12):1079–1088.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hagg T. 2005. Molecular regulation of adult CNS neurogenesis: an integrated view. Trends Neurosci 28(11):589–595.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hale A, Corral RM, Mencacci C, Ruiz JS, Severo CA, Gentil V. 2010. Superior antidepressant efficacy results of agomelatine versus fluoxetine in severe MDD patients: a randomized, double-blind study. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 25(6):305–314.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hanoun N, Mocaër E, Boyer PA, Hamon M, Lanfumey L. 2004. Differential effects of the novel antidepressant agomelatine (S 20098) versus fluoxetine on 5-HT1A receptors in the rat brain. Neuropharmacology 47(4):515–526.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kasper S, Hamon M. 2009. Beyond the monoaminergic hypothesis: Agomelatine, a new antidepressant with an innovative mechanism of action. World J Biol Psychiatry 10(2):117–126.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kasper S, McEwen BS. 2008. Neurobiological and clinical effects of the antidepressant tianeptine. CNS Drugs 22(1): 15–26.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kasper S, Hajak G, Wulff K, Hoogendijk WJ, Montejo AL, Smeraldi E, et al. 2010. Efficacy of the novel antidepressant agomelatine on the circadian rest-activity cycle and depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder: a randomized, double-blind comparison with sertraline. J Clin Psychiatry 71:109–120.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kasper S, Corruble E, Hale A, Lemoine P, Montgomery SA, Quera-Salva MA. 2013. Antidepressant efficacy of agomelatine versus SSRI/SNRI: results from a pooled analysis of head-to-head studies without a placebo control. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 28(1):12–19.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kennedy SH, Emsley R. 2006. Placebo-controlled trial of agomelatine in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 16(2):93–100.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kennedy SH, Rizvi S, Fulton K, Rasmussen J. 2008. A double-blind comparison of sexual functioning, antidepressant efficacy, and tolerability between agomelatine and venlafaxine XR. J Clin Psychopharmacol 28(3):329–333.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kim MJ, Kim HK, Kim BS, Yim SV. 2004. Melatonin increases cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus of maternally separated rats. J Pineal Res 37(3):193–197.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kozisek ME, Middlemas D, Bylund DB. 2008. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor tropomyosin-related kinase B in the mechanism of action of antidepressant therapies. Pharmacol Ther 117(1):30–51.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kräuchi K, Cajochen C, Möri D, Graw P, Wirz-Justice A. 1997. Early evening melatonin and S-20098 advance circadian phase and nocturnal regulation of core body temperature. Am J Physiol 272 (4 Pt 2):R1178–1188
   Google Scholar
• Larsen MH, Hay-Schmidt A, Rønn LCB, Mikkelsen JD. 2008. Temporal expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA in the rat hippocampus after treatment with selective and mixed monoaminergic antidepressants. Eur J Pharmacol 578:114–122.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lemoine P, Guilleminault C, Alvarez E. 2007. Improvement in subjective sleep in major depressive disorder with a novel antidepressant, agomelatine: randomized, double-blind comparison with venlafaxine. J Clin Psychiatry 68(11):1723–1732.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lôo H, Hale A, D’Haenen H. 2002a. Determination of the dose of agomelatine, a melatoninergic agonist and selective 5-HT(2C) antagonist, in the treatment of major depressive disorder: a placebo-controlled dose range study. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 17(5):239–247.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lôo H, Daléry J, Macher JP, Payen A. 2002b. [Pilot study comparing in blind the therapeutic effect of two doses of agomelatine, melatoninergic agonist and selective 5HT2C receptors antagonist, in the treatment of major depressive disorders]. Encephale 28(4):356–362.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lôo H, Dalery J, Macher A, Payen JP. 2003. [Pilot study comparing in blind the therapeutic effect of two doses of agomelatine, melatoninagonist and selective 5HT2c receptors antagonist, in the treatment of major depressive disorders]. Encephale 29(2):165–171.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lopes MC, Quera-Salva MA, Guilleminault C. 2007. Non-REM sleep instability in patients with major depressive disorder: subjective improvement and improvement of non-REM sleep instability with treatment (Agomelatine). Sleep Med 9(1):33–41.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Manji HK, Duman RS. 2001. Impairments of neuroplasticity and cellular resilience in severe mood disorders: implications for the development of novel therapeutics. Psychopharmacol Bull 35(2):5–49.
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Manji HK, Moore GJ, Rajkowska G, Chen G. 2000. Neuroplasticity and cellular resilience in mood disorders. Mol Psychiatry 5(6):578–593.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Manji HK, Quiroz JA, Sporn J, Payne JL, Denicoff K, A Gray N, et al. 2003. Enhancing neuronal plasticity and cellular resilience to develop novel, improved therapeutics for difficult to treat depression. Biol Psychiatry 53(8):707–742.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Masana MI, Doolen S, Ersahin C, Al-Ghoul WM, Duckles SP, Dubocovich ML, Krause DN. 2002. MT2 melatonin receptors are present and functional in rat caudal artery. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 302(3):1295–1302.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Mathers CD, Vos ET, Stevenson CE, Begg SJ. 2000. The Australian Burden of Disease Study: measuring the loss of health from diseases, injuries and risk factors. Med J Aust 172(12):592–596.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Mattson MP, Maudsley S, Martin B. 2004. BDNF and 5-HT: a dynamic duo in age-related neuronal plasticity and neurodegenerative disorders. Trends Neurosci 27(10):589–594.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• McEwen BS, Chattarji S. 2004. Molecular mechanisms of neuroplasticity and pharmacological implications: the example of tianeptine. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 14(Suppl 5):S497–502.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG; PRISMA Group. 2009. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. Br Med J 339:b2535.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Molteni R, Calabrese F, Pisoni S, Gabriel C, Mocaer E, Racagni G, et al. 2010. Synergistic mechanisms in the modulation of the neurotrophin BDNF in the rat prefrontal cortex following acute agomelatine administration. World J Biol Psychiatry 11(2):148–153.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Montgomery S, Kasper AS. 2007. Severe depression and antidepressants: focus on a pooled analysis of placebo-controlled studies on agomelatine. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 22(5):283–291.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Montgomery SA, Kennedy SH, Burrows GD, Lejoyeux M, Hindmarch I. 2004. Absence of discontinuation symptoms with agomelatine and occurrence of discontinuation symptoms with paroxetine: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled discontinuation study. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 19(5): 271–280.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Morley-Fletcher S, Mairesse J, Soumier A, Banasr M, Fagioli F, Gabriel C, et al. 2011. Chronic agomelatine treatment corrects behavioral, cellular, and biochemical abnormalities induced by prenatal stress in rats. Psychopharmacology 217(3):301–313.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Naji L, Carrillo-Vico A, Guerrero JM, Calvo JR. 2004. Expression of membrane and nuclear melatonin receptors in mouse peripheral organs. Life Sci 74(18):2227–2236.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Nestler EJ, Barrot M, DiLeone RJ, Eisch AJ, Gold SJ, Monteggia LM. 2002. Neurobiology of depression. Neuron 34(1):13–25.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Novartis. Clinical trial results database [online]. Available from URL: http://www.novctrd.com/ctrdWebApp/clinicaltrialrepository/public.jsp?divisionId = 2 & diseaseAreaID = 3 [accessed 1 November 2012].
   Google Scholar
• Olié JP, Kasper S. 2007. Efficacy of agomelatine, a MT1/MT2 receptor agonist with 5-HT2C antagonistic properties, in major depressive disorder. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 10(5):661–673.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Païzanis E, Renoir T, Lelievre V, Saurini F, Melfort M, Gabriel C, et al. 2010. Behavioural and neuroplastic effects of the new-generation antidepressant. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 13(6): 759–774.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Pandi-Perumal SR, Srinivasan V, Cardinali DP, Monti MJ. 2006Could agomelative be the ideal antidepressant?. Exp Rev Neurother 6(11):1595–1608.
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Papakostas GI, Fava M. 2008. Predictors, moderators, and mediators (correlates) of treatment outcome in major depressive disorder. Dialog Clin Neurosci 10(4):439–451.
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Papp M, Gruca P, Boyer PA, Mocaër E. 2003Effect of agomelatine in the chronic mild stress model of depression in the rat. Neuropsychopharmacology 28(4):694–703.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Perez-Cruz C, Müller-Keuker JI, Heilbronner U, Fuchs E, Flügge G. 2007. Morphology of pyramidal neurons in the rat prefrontal cortex: lateralized dendritic remodeling by chronic stress. Neural Plast 2007:46276.
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Perez-Cruz C, Simon M, Czéh B, Flügge G, Fuchs E. 2009. Hemispheric differences in basilar dendrites and spines of pyramidal neurons in the rat prelimbic cortex: activity- and stress-induced changes. Eur J Neurosci 29(4):738–747.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Pittenger C, Duman RS. 2008. Stress, depression, and neuroplasticity: a convergence of mechanisms. Neuropsychopharmacology 33(1):88–109.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Pjrek E, Winkler D, Konstantinidis A, Willeit M, Praschak-Rieder N, Kasper S. 2007. Agomelatine in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder. Psychopharmacology (Berlin) 190(4):575–579.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Pompili M, Serafini G, Del Casale A, Rigucci S, Innamorati M, Girardi P, et al. 2009a. Improving adherence in mood disorders: the struggle against relapse, recurrence and suicide risk. Expert Rev Neurother 9(7):985–1004.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Pompili M, Rihmer Z, Innamorati M, Lester D, Girardi P, Tatarelli R. 2009b. Assessment and treatment of suicide risk in bipolar disorders. Expert Rev Neurother 9(1):109–136.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Pozo D, Delgado M, Fernandez-Santos JM, Calvo JR, Gomariz RP, Martin-Lacave I, et al. 1997. Expression of the Mel1a-melatonin receptor mRNA in T and B subsets of lymphocytes from rat thymus and spleen. FASEB J 11(6):466–473.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Quera Salva MA, Vanier B, Laredo J, Hartley S, Chapotot F, Moulin C, et al. 2007. Major depressive disorder, sleep EEG and agomelatine: an open-label study. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 10(5):691–696.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Racagni G, Popoli M. 2008. Cellular and molecular mechanisms in the long-term action of antidepressants. Dialog Clin Neurosci 10(4):385–400.
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Reagan LP, Rosell DR, Wood GE, Spedding M, Muñoz C, Rothstein J, et al. 2004. Chronic restraint stress up-regulates GLT-1 mRNA and protein expression in the rat hippocampus: reversal by tianeptine. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101:2179–2184.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Reznikov LR, Fadel JR, Reagan LP. 2009. Glutamate-mediated neuroplasticity deficits in mood disorders. In: Costa e Silva JA, Macher JP, Olié JP, editors. Neuroplasticity: new biochemical mechanisms. UK: Current Medicine Group. p 13–26.
   Google Scholar
• Richter HG, Torres-Farfan C, Garcia-Sesnich J, Abarzua-Catalan L, Henriquez MG, Alvarez-Felmer M, et al. 2008. Rhythmic expression of functional MT1 melatonin receptors in the rat adrenal gland. Endocrinology 149(3):995–1003.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Rush AJ. 2007. STAR*D. what have we learned?. Am J Psychiatry 164(2):201–204.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Rush AJ, Kraemer HC, Sackeim HA, Fava M, Trivedi MH, Frank E, et al. 2006. Report by the ACNP task force on response and remission in major depression. Neuropsychopharmacol 31:1841–1853.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Sairanen M, O’Leary OF, Knuuttila JE, Castrén E. 2007. Chronic antidepressant treatment selectively increases expression of plasticity-related proteins in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex of the rat. Neuroscience 144(1):368–374.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Sallinen P, Saarela S, Ilves M, Vakkuri O, Leppäluoto J. 2005. The expression of MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptor mRNAin several rat tissues. Life Sci 76(10):1123–1134.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Slominski A, Tobin DJ, Zmijewski MA, Wortsman J, Paus R. 2008. Melatonin in the skin: synthesis, metabolism and functions. Trends Endocrinol Metab 19(1):17–24.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Soumier A, Banasr M, Lortet S, Masmejean F, Bernard N, Kerkerian-Le-Goff L, et al. 2009. Mechanisms contributing to the phase-dependent regulation of neurogenesis by the novel antidepressant, agomelatine, in the adult rat hippocampus. Neuropsychopharmacology 34(11):2390–2403.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Stahl SM, Fava M, Trivedi MH, Caputo A, Shah A, Post A. 2010. Agomelatine in the treatment of major depressive disorder: an 8-week, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Clin Psychiatry 71(5):616–626.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Tardito D, Milanese M, Bonifacino T, Musazzi L, Grilli M, Mallei A, et al. 2010. Blockade of stress-induced increase of glutamate release in the rat prefrontal/frontal cortex by agomelatine involves synergy between melatonergic and 5-HT2C receptor-dependent pathways. BMC Neurosci 11:68.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Trivedi MH, Daly EJ. 2008. Treatment strategies to improve and sustain remission in major depressive disorder. Dialog Clin Neurosci 10(4):377–384.
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Van Reeth O, Olivares E, Zhang Y, Zee PC, Mocaer E, Defrance R, et al. 1997. Comparative effects of a melatonin agonist on the circadian system in mice and Syrian hamsters. Brain Res 762(1–2):185–194.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Van Reeth O, Olivares E, Turek FW, Granjon L, Mocaer E. 1998. Resynchronisation of a diurnal rodent circadian clock accelerated by a melatonin agonist. Neuroreport 9(8):1901–1905.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Weibel L, Turek FW, Mocaer E, Van Reeth O. 2000. A melatonin agonist facilitates circadian resynchronization in old hamsters after abrupt shifts in the light-dark cycle. Brain Res 880(1–2):207–211.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Wu YH, Zhou JN, Balesar R, Unmehopa U, Bao A, Jockers R, Van Heerikhuize J, Swaab DF. 2006. Distribution of MT1 melatonin receptor immunoreactivity in the human hypothalamus and pituitary gland: colocalization of MT1 with vasopressin, oxytocin, and corticotropin-releasing hormone. J Comp Neurol 499(6):897–910.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Zajecka J, Schatzberg A, Stahl S, Shah A, Caputo A, Post A. 2010. Efficacy and safety of agomelatine in the treatment of major depressive disorder: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Clin Psychopharmacol 30(2):135–144.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Zawilska JB, Skene DJ, Arendt JJ. 2009. Physiology and pharmacology of melatonin in relation to biological rhythms. Pharmacol Rep 61(3):383–410.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar