title: Neuropharmacological basis of vestibular system disorder treatment.
abstract: This work reviews the neuropharmacology of the vestibular system, with an emphasis on the mechanism of action of drugs used in the treatment of vestibular disorders. Clinicians are confronted with a rapidly changing field in which advances in the knowledge of ionic channel function and synaptic transmission mechanisms have led to the development of new scientific models for the understanding of vestibular dysfunction and its management. In particular, there have been recent advances in our knowledge of the fundamental mechanisms of vestibular system function and of drug action. In this work, drugs acting on vestibular system have been grouped into two main categories according to their primary mechanisms of action: those with effects on neurotransmitters and neuromodulators dynamics and those that act on voltage-gated ion channels. Particular attention is given in this review to drugs that may provide additional insight into the pathophysiology of vestibular diseases. The critical analysis of the literature reveals that there is a significant lack of information defining the real utility of diverse drugs used in clinical practice. The development of basic studies addressing drug actions at the molecular, cellular and systems level, combined with reliable and well controlled clinical trials, would provide the scientific basis for new strategies for the treatment of vestibular disorders.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiología, Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, México.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seseña
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000502:physiology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D018678:Cholinergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D049990:Membrane Transport Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000502:physiology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000502:physiology; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects; D011968:Receptors, Histamine / Q000502:physiology; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000187:drug effects; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D015220:Calcium Channels; D018678:Cholinergic Agents; D049990:Membrane Transport Modulators; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D015221:Potassium Channels; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D011968:Receptors, Histamine; D015222:Sodium Channels; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
keywords: Inner ear; Ménière's disease; antihistaminic; dizziness; excitatory amino acids; hair cells; ionic channels; neuropeptides; vertigo; vestibular nuclei