Endocoids in depression: do antidepressants alter endocoids that affect the serotonergic system?
1. Studies undertaken over the last decade have shown that factors are present in in brain extacts, cerebrospinal fluid and plasma that impede the transport of tritiated 5HT into cortical tissue and platelets. 2. While the precise nature of these substances is presently unknown, it has been hypothesized that they may play a role in the aetiology of the affective disorders. 3. A preliminary study is described in which the plasma from untreated depressed patients was shown to impair the 5HT induced platelet aggregation, and 3H-5HT uptake, of control subjects. The effect of this factor on platelet 5HT aggregation appears to be diminished following the recovery of the depressed patients. 4. The results of these and other studies suggest that endocoids are present in the depressed patient that could be causally responsible for the defects in serotonergic function that is commonly associated with the disease. 5. The efficacy of antidepressant treatments may therefore be related to their ability to counteract the effect of such endocoid(s).
Pharmacology Department, University College, Galway, Ireland.
B E
BE
Leonard
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000187:drug effects*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D012701:Serotonin