Dopamine D2-Like Receptors and the Antidepressant Response

• Published in: Biological psychiatry (1969) Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 145 - 153
• Main Authors: Gershon, Ari A, Vishne, Tali, Grunhaus, Leon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Science 15.01.2007
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Animals; Antidepressive Agents - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - physiology; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein - physiology; Depression; Depressive Disorder - physiopathology; Dopamine - physiology; Humans; Medical sciences; Mood disorders; Neuropharmacology; Nucleus Accumbens - drug effects; Nucleus Accumbens - physiopathology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Psychiatry; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer..., (alzheimer disease); Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Receptors, Dopamine D2 - drug effects; Receptors, Dopamine D2 - physiology; Synaptic Transmission - drug effects; Synaptic Transmission - physiology; D2-like; accumbens; Dopamine; depression; BDNF; antidepressant; Mood disorder; Psychotropic; Dopamine receptor; Depression; Catecholamine; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Neurotransmitter; Antidepressant agent; Brain derived neurotrophic factor
• ISSN: 0006-3223; 1873-2402
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.05.031

Converging lines of evidence suggest a role for the mesolimbic dopamine system in the response to somatic antidepressant therapies. Here, we review evidence suggesting that antidepressant treatments of different types share the effect of increasing the sensitivity of dopamine D2-like receptors in the nucleus accumbens, clinical studies suggesting that activation of these receptors has antidepressant efficacy, as well as relevant imaging and genetic data on the role of this system in the antidepressant response. We then attempt to reconcile this data with evidence of a common target of antidepressant drugs in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein–brain-derived neurotrophic factor (CREB–BDNF) pathway in a model that suggests potential directions for future inquiry.