title: Atypical antidepressant drugs - psychopharmacological profile and mechanism of action.
abstract: The psychopharmacological profile and mechanism of action of ten atypical novel and potential antidepressive drugs (AD) have been investigated. It has been shown that they form a pharmacologically heterogeneous group. Some of them may be considered as central 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) antagonists. Two typical AD, amitriptyline and doxeprine, turned out to be potent 5-HT antagonists also. These observations justify the conclusion that these drugs rather block than facilitate 5-HT neurotransmission. Some data indicate that 5-HT antagonists can shift the balance between the noradrenergic and serotoninergic systems in favour of the former. Both atypical and typical AD when administered chronically, induce effects not observed after single-dose treatment. The effects observed indicate that the chronic administration of AD leads to the development of the increased responsiveness (or activation) of the noradrenergic system.
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007488:Iprindole / Q000494:pharmacology; D008803:Mianserin / Q000494:pharmacology; D009627:Nomifensine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D014196:Trazodone / Q000494:pharmacology; D014745:Viloxazine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D009627:Nomifensine; D008803:Mianserin; D014745:Viloxazine; D007488:Iprindole; D014196:Trazodone