Mood disorders dopamine

Serretti, A., Lilli, R., Lorenzi, C., Franchini, L. Smeraldi, E. (1998). Dopamine receptor D3 gene and response to lithium prophylaxis in mood disorders. Ini. J. Neuropsychopharmacol., 1, 125-9. 

There is evidence for the contribution of serotonin dysfunction to mania, and in the mechanism of action of mood stabilizers [19], however, specific data on the serotonergic system and mania are fewer and variable. Moreover, altered functioning of other neurotransmitters in mania such as norepinephrine, dopamine, acetylcholine, and GABA, and their interaction with serotonin, are also likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of mood disorders. Differences in these neurotransmitter systems possibly underlie differences in the pathogenesis of depressive and manic episodes. 

Diehl DJ, Gershon S The role of dopamine in mood disorders. Compr Psychiatry 33 115-120, 1992... 

Suhara T, Nakayama K, Inoue O Dj dopamine receptor binding in mood disorders measured by positron emission tomography. Psychopharmacology 106 14-18, 1992... 

The role of these agents, either as primary or adjunctive treatments for mood disorders, has yet to be fully explored ( 106, 108, 279, 280 and 281). Theories have included the differential effects of clozapine on dopamine receptor subtypes (e.g., increased activity at the receptors, which exist in high density in the limbic system) and the greater 5-HT2 to D2 antagonism of most novel agents in comparison with neuroleptics (282). More recently, controlled trials indicate that novel antispychotics (NAPs) may play an important and perhaps unique role for more severe, psychotic, and/or refractory mood disorders ( 112, 283, 384). 

Lambert G, Johansson M, Agren H, Friberg P (2000) Reduced brain norepinephrine and dopamine release in treatment-refractory depressive illness evidence in support of the catecholamine hypothesis of mood disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry 57 787-793. 

Keywords Major depressive disorder Biopolar disorder Schizophrenia Mood disorders Biogenic amine hypothesis Learned helplessness Antidepressant drugs Mood stabilizers Dopamine hypothesis Antipsychotic drugs... 

The sequence, number, and intensity of manic and depressive episodes are highly variable. The cause of the mood swings characteristic of bipolar affective disorder is unknown, although a preponderance of catecholamine-related activity may be present. Drugs that increase this activity tend to exacerbate mania, whereas those that reduce activity of dopamine or norepinephrine relieve mania. Acetylcholine or glutamate may also be involved. The nature of the abrupt switch from mania to depression experienced by some patients is uncertain. Bipolar disorder has a strong familial component, and there is abundant evidence that bipolar disorder is genetically determined. 

Extension of this specificity principle to the clinical domain has resulted in the availability of increasingly well-aimed chemical bullets. If we wanted to block just one of the many serotonin receptors to see what would happen, we could probably do it But if we wanted to elevate mood in depression—or obsessive-compulsive disorder—would we expect the best result if we blocked just that one receptor And if we wanted to discourage auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia, would we want our drug to target only D2 dopamine receptors, even if we knew that the antipsychotic action of drugs correlated well with a drug s affinity for those receptors ... 

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