Drug mechanisms in anxiety.
The most common and successful therapyfor the majority of patients suffering from anxiety is treatment with benzodiazepines (BZDs). The problem of drug-induced dependency following treatment with these drugs may be avoided by developing more selective and specific BZD compounds, such as 2,3-substituted BZDs. Alternative approaches to the treatment of anxiety include the following: (i) antidepressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are active in treating most anxiety disorders, including GAD; (ii) metabotropic glutamate (mGluR2) receptor agonists, which negatively modulate glutamate neurotransmission, and CRF antagonists, which have been proposed to exhibit anxiolytic properties; (iii) 5-HT1A receptor agonists which have demonstrated anxiolytic effects in clinical studies, although preclinical studies have reported weak or variable effects; (iv) 5-HT moduline antagonists, as well as 5-HT2C receptor antagonists, which may have anxiolytic properties; and, finally, (v) other approaches which are under investigation, including CCK2 antagonists.
Bourin
M
M
Address JE 2029 Neurobiologie de l'Anxiété et de la Depression, Faculté de Médecine, Nantes, France. mbourin@sante.univ-nantes.fr
Hascoët
M
M
D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000494:pharmacology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D012701:Serotonin; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D002766:Cholecystokinin