title: [Antidepressants of the future: role of the glutamatergic system].
abstract: Despite the availability of several antidepressants, the treatment of major depression is far from being satisfactory. With conventional antidepressants, more than 30 to 45% of the patient will not respond or present only partial remission. In the prospect of a better treatment of depression, research tends to develop original molecules, more effective, with a faster onset of action and a better tolerability. The new targets of antidepressive pharmacotherapy are beyond the membrane receptor. The future in the treatment of depression requires a better understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of depression and biochemical mechanisms explaining the antidepressive effect. In this context, the glutamatergic system plays a role in the pathophysiology of depression. Agents modulating glutamatergic activity could act as antidepressants.
authors.affiliation: Service de Psychiatrie et Psychologie Médicale, CHU Liège, Université de Liège, Belgique. wpitchot@chu.ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pitchot
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scantamburlo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ansseau
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate