Hyperactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is the main biochemical change, besides disturbed monoaminergic neurotransmission, observed in the patients suffering from a major depression. High incidence of depression in Cushing's syndrome as well as antidepressant effects of adrenocortical enzyme inhibitors in major depression support hypothesis that hyperactivity of HPA axis may ...

ISSUE Second only to depressed mood itself tiredness, low energy, and listlessness are the most common symptoms associated with depression. Recent understanding of interactions between monoaminergic neurons may help explain why some antidepressants may be more rapidly energy restoring than others.

Proanthocyanidin is a phenolic product present in plants which has antioxidant, antinociceptive and neuroprotective properties, without inducing significant toxicological effects. The present study tested the hypothesis that low molecular proanthocyanidin from grapes that has optimized bioavailability, would exert antidepressant-like activities in behavioral despair tests. The results suggested...

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are heterogenous neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impairment in social, communication skills and stereotype behaviors. While autism may be uniquely human, there are behavioral characteristics in ASDs that can be mimicked using animal models. We used the BTBR T+tf/J mice that have been shown to exhibit autism-like behavioral phenotypes to 1). Evaluat...

The effects of SM-9018, a potential atypical neuroleptic, on monoamine metabolism were studied in rats. SM-9018 dose-dependently increased the levels of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in the cerebral cortex and striatum without affecting the levels of 5-HT, norepinephrine and their metabolites. This action persisted for 8 hr with a maximum effect at 1-2 hr. T...

Major depression is one of the most common and severe diseases affecting the world's population. However, the pathogenesis of the disease remains inadequately defined. Previously, a lack of monoaminergic neurotransmitters was the focus of pathophysiological concepts; however, recent concepts focus on a alteration of neurogenesis in the hippocampus. This concept suggests that neurogenesis is dec...