Depression amisulpride

Rein W. Amisulpride versus imipramine and placebo in dysthymia and major depression. Amisulpride Study Group. J Affective Disord 1997 43(2) 95-103. 

Cassano, G.B., Jori, M.C., on behalf of the AMIMAJOR investigators Efficacy and safety of amisulpride 50mg versus paroxetine 20 mg in major depression a randomized, double-blind, parallel group study, bit. Clin. Psvchopharmacol. 17, 27-32, 2002. 

As opposed to the disorders of the preceding paragraph, a decrease in dopaminergic transmission may be one of the neurochemical alterations in depression (Dailly et al. 2004). The selective antagonists at D2-like receptors sulpiride and amisulpride, when given at low doses, reduce depression symptoms, presumably by blockade of D2-autoreceptors and enhancement of dopamine release (Racagni et al. 2004). Sulpiride in fact increased the release of [3H]-dopamine in human neocortex slices... 

The example of amisulpride (launched by Sanofi-Synthelabo in 1986) also supports the primary importance of dopamine D2 (as well as D3) but not 5-HT2A receptors in atypical antipsychotic action. This benzamide derivative displays high affinity only to D2 and D3 receptors (with some selectivity toward D3) [42], and in low doses (i.e., 50-100 mg day-1) it acts preferentially on negative [43] symptoms and at higher doses (400-800 mg day-1) on depressive symptoms [44] and cognitive impairment [45]. 

In a randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial for 8 weeks in 278 patients with depression there were no differences in efficacy or tolerability between amisulpride 50 mg and SSRIs (106). 

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