Neurokinin-1 receptors are decreased in major depressive disorder.
Treatment with an antagonist at the neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor may alleviate depression, however the brain region(s) in which the NK-1 receptor antagonist exerts its therapeutic effect is unknown. [125I]BH-Substance P was used to measure NK-1 receptors postmortem in cytoarchitectonically defined areas of rostral orbitofrontal cortex (Brodmann's area 47) of subjects with major depressive disorder (n = 12, six females) and psychiatrically normal subjects (n = 11, five females). Six subjects with depression died by suicide. Subjects with depression showed decreased binding to NK-1 receptors across all cortical layers (p = 0.024). The pathophysiology of depression, and the reported therapeutic benefit of NK-1 receptor antagonists, may thus involve NK-1 receptors in prefrontal cortex.
Stockmeier
Craig A
CA
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson 39216, USA.
Shi
Xiaochun
X
Konick
Lisa
L
Overholser
James C
JC
Jurjus
George
G
Meltzer
Herbert Y
HY
Friedman
Lee
L
Blier
Pierre
P
Rajkowska
Grazyna
G
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000502:physiology; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000502:physiology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064729:Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013373:Substance P / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D013405:Suicide
D064729:Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1; D013373:Substance P