title: Galanin, galanin receptor subtypes and depression-like behaviour.
abstract: The pathophysiology of depression remains unclear, but involves disturbances in brain monoaminergic transmission. Current antidepressant drugs, which act by enhancing this type of neurotransmission, have limited therapeutic efficacy in a number of patients, and also cause serious side-effects, which limits their compliance. Increasing evidence suggests that neuropeptides, including galanin, can be of relevance in mood disorders. Galanin is co-expressed with and modulates noradrenaline and serotonin transmission, both implicated in depression. Pharmacological and genetic studies suggest a role for galanin in depression-like behaviour in rodents, involving specific receptor subtypes. Thus, stimulation of GalR1 and/or GalR3 receptors results in depression-like phenotype, while activation of the GalR2 receptor reduces depression-like behaviour in the rat. These findings suggest that galanin receptor subtypes may represent novel targets for the development of antidepressant drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Retzius väg. 8, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuteeva
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hökfelt
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wardi
authors.forename: Sven Ove
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Ogren
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019004:Galanin / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D044088:Receptors, Galanin / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D044088:Receptors, Galanin; D019004:Galanin