Antidepressants and Receptor Function: (123 Novartis Foundation Symposia)

Ciba Foundation Symposium 123 Antidepressants and Receptor Function Chairman: Dennis Murphy, 1986 Depression is a common and often debilitating affective disorder. Attempts to develop effective antidepressants have a long history, but many questions remain about the mechanisms of action of such treatments and about the aetiology and pathophysiology of depression itself. Early observations centred attention on central monoamine systems, and animal studies suggested that changes in beta-adrenoceptor responsiveness were a common effect of antidepressant therapies. More recent research has encompassed many different central and peripheral receptors, time-dependent adaptational events at synapses, and the functional significance of changes in neurotransmitter systems in both humans and experimental animals. Such pharmacological studies aimed ultimately at elucidating the neurochemical basis of depression and of promoting new therapeutic approaches, provide the focus of this symposium volume. Many different methods of investigating the links between monoamine systems, depression and antidepressant treatments are described. Recent studies of receptors and of monoamine uptake sites in the brain and the periphery (e.g. in platelets and fibroblasts) are reviewed, with emphasis on alpha and beta adrenoceptors, [3H]imipramine-binding sites and serotonin receptors. The results of monitoring amine metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid and of measuring neuroendocrine, physiological and behavioural responses to pharmacological challenge are presented, providing information on monoaminergic function in depressed patients and experimental animals before, during and after treatment with antidepressant drugs or electroconvulsive shock. Genetic influences on receptor density are also discussed, as is the relevance to human depressive illness of animal models, including stress-induced behavioural depression in rats and responses to social stressors in rhesus monkeys. This book should be of interest to neuropharmacologists, psychopharmacologists, clinical pharmacologists, behavioural scientists, psychiatrists and neuroscientists.

Table of Contents:
Symposium on Depression, antidepressants and receptor sensitivity, held at the Ciba Foundation, London, 19–21 November 1985 Editors: Ruth Porter, Gregory Bock (Organizer) and Sarah Clark D. Murphy Introduction S.Z. Langer, A.M. Galzin, C.R. Lee and H. Schoemaker Antidepressant-binding sites in brain and platelets Discussion W.H. Berrettini, J. Bardakjian, A.L. Barnett Jr, J.I. Nurnberger Jr and E.S. Gershon β-Adrenoceptor function in human adult skin fibroblasts: a study of manic-depressive illness Discussion P. Propping, W. Friedl, J. Hebebrand and K-U. Lentes Genetic studies at the receptor level: investigations in human twins and experimental animals Discussion M. Åsberg and A. Wägner Biochemical effects of antidepressant treatment—studies of monoamine metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid and platelet [3H]imipramine binding Discussion R.W. Horton, C.L.E. Katona, A.E. Theodorou, A.S. Hale, S.L. Davies, C. Tunnicliffe, Y. Yamaguchi, E.S. Paykel and J.S. Kelly Platelet radioligand binding and neuroendocrine challenge tests in depression Discussion D.L. Murphy, C.S. Aulakh and N. A. Garrick How antidepressants work: cautionary conclusions based on clinical and laboratory studies of the longer-term consequences of monoamine oxidase-inhibiting antidepressants Discussion S.A. Checkley, T.H. Corn, I.B. Glass, C. Thompson, C. Franey and J. Arendt Neuroendocrine and other studies of the mechanism of antidepressant action of desipramine Discussion L.J. Siever, E.F. Coccaro, E. Benjamin, K. Rubinstein and K.L. Davis Adrenergic and serotonergic receptor responsiveness in depression Discussion General discussion I A. Frazer, G. Ordway, J. O’Donnell, P. Vos and B. Wolfe Effect of repeated administration of clenbuterol on the regulation of β-adrenoceptors in the central nervous system of the rat Discussion J.M. Weiss and P.G. Simson Depression in an animal model: focus on the locus ceruleus Discussion G.W. Kraemer Causes of changes in brain noradrenaline systems and later effects on responses to social stressors in rhesus monkeys: the cascade hypothesis Discussion J. Vetulani, L. Antkiewicz-Michaluk, A. Rokosz-Pelc and J. Michaluk Effects of chronically administered antidepressants and electroconvulsive treatment on cerebral neurotransmitter receptors in rodents with ‘model depression’ Discussion A.R. Green, D.J. Heal and G.M. Goodwin The effects of electroconvulsive therapy and antidepressant drugs on monoamine receptors in rodent brain—similarities and differences Discussion General discussion II Closing remarks Index of contributors Subject index

About the Author :
The Novartis Foundation is an international scientific and educational charity which promotes the study and general knowledge of science and in particular encourages international co-operation in scientific research.