title: Agomelatine beyond borders: current evidences of its efficacy in disorders other than major depression.
abstract: Agomelatine, a melatonergic antidepressant with a rapid onset of action, is one of the most recent drugs in the antidepressant category. Agomelatine's antidepressant actions are attributed to its sleep-promoting and chronobiotic actions mediated by MT1 and MT2 receptors present in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, as well as to its effects on the blockade of 5-HT2c receptors. Blockade of 5-HT2c receptors causes release of both noradrenaline and dopamine at the fronto-cortical dopaminergic and noradrenergic pathways. The combined actions of agomelatine on MT1/MT2 and 5-HT2c receptors facilitate the resynchronization of altered circadian rhythms and abnormal sleep patterns. Agomelatine appeared to be effective in treating major depression. Moreover, evidence exists that points out a possible efficacy of such drug in the treatment of bipolar depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol dependence, migraines etc. Thus, the aim of this narrative review was to elucidate current evidences on the role of agomelatine in disorders other than major depression.
authors.affiliation: National Health Service, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital "G. Mazzini", ASL 4, 64100 Teramo, Italy. dodebera@aliceposta.it.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Berardis
authors.affiliation: Department of "Scienze della Formazione", University of Catania, 95121 Catania, Italy. dott.fornaro@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fornaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, University "G. D'Annunzio", 66013 Chieti, Italy. serroni.nicola@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Serroni
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, University "G. D'Annunzio", 66013 Chieti, Italy. danicampa@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campanella
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, University "G. D'Annunzio", 66013 Chieti, Italy. gabriella.rapini@aslteramo.it.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rapini
authors.affiliation: National Health Service, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital "G. Mazzini", ASL 4, 64100 Teramo, Italy. luigi.olivieri@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Olivieri
authors.affiliation: Sri Sathya Sai Medical Educational and Research Foundation, Medical Sciences Research Study Center, Prasanthi Nilayam, 40-Kovai Thirunagar Coimbatore-641014, 641014 Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: Venkataramanujam
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Psychopharmacotherapeutics, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, University School of Medicine "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy. felix_ias@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iasevoli
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Psychopharmacotherapeutics, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, University School of Medicine "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy. carmine.tomasetti@unina.it.
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tomasetti
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Psychopharmacotherapeutics, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, University School of Medicine "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy. adebarto@unina.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Bartolomeis
authors.affiliation: Hermanas Hospitalarias, FoRiPsi, Villa S. Giuseppe Hospital, 63100 Ascoli Piceno, Italy. alessandrovalchera@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valchera
authors.affiliation: Hermanas Hospitalarias, FoRiPsi, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto Menni, Albese con Cassano, 22032 Como, Italy. pernagp@tin.it.
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perna
authors.affiliation: National Health Service, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital "G. Mazzini", ASL 4, 64100 Teramo, Italy. luigi.olivieri@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazza
authors.affiliation: National Health Service, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital "G. Mazzini", ASL 4, 64100 Teramo, Italy. luigi.olivieri@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Nicola
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, University "G. D'Annunzio", 66013 Chieti, Italy. giovanni.martinotti@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martinotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, University "G. D'Annunzio", 66013 Chieti, Italy. digiannantonio@unich.it.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Giannantonio
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D044122:Receptor, Melatonin, MT1 / Q000378:metabolism; D044123:Receptor, Melatonin, MT2 / Q000378:metabolism; D044405:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D009281:Naphthalenes
chemical_list: D000081:Acetamides; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D044122:Receptor, Melatonin, MT1; D044123:Receptor, Melatonin, MT2; D044405:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C; C084711:agomelatine; D009281:Naphthalenes