title: Metabotropic glutamate receptors as drug targets: what's new?
abstract: The question in the title: 'what's new?' has two facets. First, are 'clinical' expectations met with success? Second, is the number of CNS disorders targeted by mGlu drugs still increasing? The answer to the first question is 'no', because development program with promising drugs in the treatment of schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and Fragile X syndrome have been discontinued. Nonetheless, we continue to be optimistic because there is still the concrete hope that some of these drugs are beneficial in targeted subpopulations of patients. The answer to the second question is 'yes', because mGlu ligands are promising targets for 'new' disorders such as type-1 spinocerebellar ataxia and absence epilepsy. In addition, the increasing availability of pharmacological tools may push mGlu7 and mGlu8 receptors into the clinical scenario. After almost 30 years from their discovery, mGlu receptors are still alive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Roma, Italy; I.R.C.C.S Neuromed, Località Camerelle, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy. Electronic address: ferdinandonicoletti@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nicoletti
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Roma, Italy; I.R.C.C.S Neuromed, Località Camerelle, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.affiliation: I.R.C.C.S Neuromed, Località Camerelle, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy.
authors.forename: Richard Teke
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Ngomba
authors.affiliation: I.R.C.C.S Neuromed, Località Camerelle, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy; Department of Experimental Medicine, University 'Sapienza', Viale Regina Elena, 324, 00161 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gradini
authors.affiliation: I.R.C.C.S Neuromed, Località Camerelle, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Battaglia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015195:Drug Design; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D020754:Spinocerebellar Ataxias / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate