title: Modifications of the serotonin system by antidepressant treatments: implications for the therapeutic response in major depression.
abstract: Results of electrophysiological single-cell recording studies suggest that most, if not all, types of antidepressant treatments increase 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurotransmission. Tricyclic antidepressants, electroconvulsive shock treatment, mianserin, adinazolam, and possibly sleep deprivation may exert their therapeutic effect through sensitization of postsynaptic neurons to 5-HT. Serotonin reuptake blockers may relieve depression through an increased efficacy of the presynaptic element resulting from a desensitization of somatodendritic and terminal 5-HT autoreceptors. Similarly, monoamine oxidase inhibitors may act by increasing the efficacy of 5-HT neurons. Intensification of 5-HT function appears to be a common denominator to antidepressant treatments; however, evidence suggests that this modification may only be a link in a chain of events leading to an antidepressant response.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Montigny
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chaput
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D012701:Serotonin