title: Enhancing neuronal plasticity and cellular resilience to develop novel, improved therapeutics for difficult-to-treat depression.
abstract: There is growing evidence from neuroimaging and ostmortem studies that severe mood disorders, which have traditionally been conceptualized as neurochemical disorders, are associated with impairments of structural plasticity and cellular resilience. It is thus noteworthy that recent preclinical studies have shown that critical molecules in neurotrophic signaling cascades (most notably cyclic adenosine monophosphate [cAMP] response element binding protein, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, bcl-2, and mitogen activated protein [MAP] kinases) are long-term targets for antidepressant agents and antidepressant potentiating modalities. This suggests that effective treatments provide both trophic and neurochemical support, which serves to enhance and maintainnormal synaptic connectivity, thereby allowing the chemical signal to reinstate the optimal functioning of critical circuits necessary for normal affective functioning. For many refractory patients, drugs mimicking "traditional" strategies, which directly or indirectly alter monoaminergic levels, may be of limited benefit. Newer "plasticity enhancing" strategies that may have utility in the treatment of refractory depression include N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole propionate (AMPA) potentiators, cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitors, and glucocorticoid receptor antagonists. Small-molecule agents that regulate the activity f growth factors, MAP kinases cascades, and the bcl-2 family of proteins are also promising future avenues. The development of novel, nonaminergic-based therapeutics holds much promise for improved treatment of severe, refractory mood disorders.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4405, USA.
authors.forename: Husseini K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Manji
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Quiroz
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sporn
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Kirk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Denicoff
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: A  Gray
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Zarate
authors.forename: Dennis S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Charney
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000502:physiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000502:physiology; D005971:Glutamates / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D005971:Glutamates; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2