title: Neurotrophic effects of antidepressant drugs.
abstract: The past decade has witnessed a growing interest in the trophic effects of antidepressant drugs. Antidepressants stimulate the production and signaling of plasticity-related proteins such as neurotrophins and cAMP response element binding protein, and neurotrophin signaling appears to be both sufficient and necessary for antidepressant action in rodents. Furthermore, several different antidepressant treatments increase neurogenesis in rodent hippocampus and this effect correlates with the behavioral effects produced by these drugs. These data suggest that antidepressants facilitate activity-dependent selection of functional synaptic connections in brain and, through their neurotrophic effects, improve information processing within neuronal networks compromised in mood disorders.
authors.affiliation: Sigrid Jusélius-professor of Neuroscience, Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, PO Box 56, 00014 Helsinki, Finland. Eero.Castren@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castrén
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors