Therapeutic indications for serotonin-potentiating compounds: A hypothesis

H. M. van Praag; R. Kahn; G. M. Asnis; C. Z. Lemus; S. L. Brown

doi:10.1016/0006-3223(87)90232-0

Therapeutic indications for serotonin-potentiating compounds: A hypothesis

H. M. van Praag
, R. Kahn
, G. M. Asnis
, C. Z. Lemus
, S. L. Brown

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate

53 Scopus citations

Abstract

The original antidepressants, tricyclics and MAO inhibitors, increase the availability in the brain of both 5-HT and NA. Prompted by clinical findings suggestive of 5-HT disturbances in depression, drugs were developed that increase 5-HT selectively. Data are presented that suggest that broad-spectrum compounds may provide better conditions for antidepressant effects than the 5-HT-selective ones. The hypothesis is proposed that 5-HT potentiators (1) are partial antidepressants, in that they predominantly reduce the anxiety/aggressive component of the depressive syndrome, and (2) deserve to be tested in conditions with heightened anxiety and/or aggression irrespective of the nosological diagnosis. Tentative evidence relates diminished 5-HT metabolism to disordered impulse control. Based on these data, trials of 5-HT potentiators in impulse control disorders unrelated to aggressive drives seem warranted.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	205-212
Number of pages	8
Journal	Biological Psychiatry
Volume	22
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(87)90232-0
State	Published - Feb 1987
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1016/0006-3223(87)90232-0

Cite this

@article{07b9bd2436e54e5aa0f2b0ce07b15f1e,

title = "Therapeutic indications for serotonin-potentiating compounds: A hypothesis",

abstract = "The original antidepressants, tricyclics and MAO inhibitors, increase the availability in the brain of both 5-HT and NA. Prompted by clinical findings suggestive of 5-HT disturbances in depression, drugs were developed that increase 5-HT selectively. Data are presented that suggest that broad-spectrum compounds may provide better conditions for antidepressant effects than the 5-HT-selective ones. The hypothesis is proposed that 5-HT potentiators (1) are partial antidepressants, in that they predominantly reduce the anxiety/aggressive component of the depressive syndrome, and (2) deserve to be tested in conditions with heightened anxiety and/or aggression irrespective of the nosological diagnosis. Tentative evidence relates diminished 5-HT metabolism to disordered impulse control. Based on these data, trials of 5-HT potentiators in impulse control disorders unrelated to aggressive drives seem warranted.",

author = "\{van Praag\}, \{H. M.\} and R. Kahn and Asnis, \{G. M.\} and Lemus, \{C. Z.\} and Brown, \{S. L.\}",

year = "1987",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1016/0006-3223(87)90232-0",

language = "English",

volume = "22",

pages = "205--212",

journal = "Biological Psychiatry",

issn = "0006-3223",

publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Therapeutic indications for serotonin-potentiating compounds

T2 - A hypothesis

AU - van Praag, H. M.

AU - Kahn, R.

AU - Asnis, G. M.

AU - Lemus, C. Z.

AU - Brown, S. L.

PY - 1987/2

Y1 - 1987/2

N2 - The original antidepressants, tricyclics and MAO inhibitors, increase the availability in the brain of both 5-HT and NA. Prompted by clinical findings suggestive of 5-HT disturbances in depression, drugs were developed that increase 5-HT selectively. Data are presented that suggest that broad-spectrum compounds may provide better conditions for antidepressant effects than the 5-HT-selective ones. The hypothesis is proposed that 5-HT potentiators (1) are partial antidepressants, in that they predominantly reduce the anxiety/aggressive component of the depressive syndrome, and (2) deserve to be tested in conditions with heightened anxiety and/or aggression irrespective of the nosological diagnosis. Tentative evidence relates diminished 5-HT metabolism to disordered impulse control. Based on these data, trials of 5-HT potentiators in impulse control disorders unrelated to aggressive drives seem warranted.

AB - The original antidepressants, tricyclics and MAO inhibitors, increase the availability in the brain of both 5-HT and NA. Prompted by clinical findings suggestive of 5-HT disturbances in depression, drugs were developed that increase 5-HT selectively. Data are presented that suggest that broad-spectrum compounds may provide better conditions for antidepressant effects than the 5-HT-selective ones. The hypothesis is proposed that 5-HT potentiators (1) are partial antidepressants, in that they predominantly reduce the anxiety/aggressive component of the depressive syndrome, and (2) deserve to be tested in conditions with heightened anxiety and/or aggression irrespective of the nosological diagnosis. Tentative evidence relates diminished 5-HT metabolism to disordered impulse control. Based on these data, trials of 5-HT potentiators in impulse control disorders unrelated to aggressive drives seem warranted.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0023079163

U2 - 10.1016/0006-3223(87)90232-0

DO - 10.1016/0006-3223(87)90232-0

M3 - Comment/debate

C2 - 2434148

AN - SCOPUS:0023079163

SN - 0006-3223

VL - 22

SP - 205

EP - 212

JO - Biological Psychiatry

JF - Biological Psychiatry

IS - 2

ER -

Therapeutic indications for serotonin-potentiating compounds: A hypothesis

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this