title: Treat the brain and treat the periphery: toward a holistic approach to major depressive disorder.
abstract: The limited medication for major depressive disorder (MDD) against an ever-rising disease burden presents an urgent need for therapeutic innovations. During recent years, studies looking at the systems regulation of mental health and disease have shown a remarkably powerful control of MDD by systemic signals. Meanwhile, the identification of a host of targets outside the brain opens the way to treat MDD by targeting systemic signals. We examine these emerging findings and consider the implications for current thinking regarding MDD pathogenesis and treatment. We highlight the opportunities and challenges of a periphery-targeting strategy and propose its incorporation into a holistic approach.
authors: Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing 210029, China. Electronic address: happyzxzx@126.com.
authors: Xiao
authors: X
authors: Zheng
authors: Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University Affiliated Zhong Da Hospital, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors: Xueli
authors: X
authors: Zhang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors: Guangji
authors: G
authors: Wang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China. Electronic address: hhp_770505@hotmail.com.
authors: Haiping
authors: H
authors: Hao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D015195:Drug Design; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D049490:Systems Biology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents