TY - JOUR
T1 - Dexmedetomidine in the Treatment of Depression
T2 - An Up-to-date Narrative Review
AU - Al-Mahrouqi, Tamadhir
AU - Al Alawi, Mohammed
AU - Freire, Rafael C.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Bentham Science Publisher.
© 2023 Al-Mahrouqi et al.
PY - 2023/8/30
Y1 - 2023/8/30
N2 - Depressive disorders (DD) are common, and their prevalence is expected to rise over the next decade. Depressive disorders are linked to significant morbidity and mortality. The clinical conundrum of depressive disorders lies in the heterogeneity of their phenomenology and etiology. Further, the currently available antidepressants have several limitations, including a delayed onset of action, limited efficacy, and an unfavorable side effect profile. In this review, Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a highly selective and potent α2-adrenergic receptor (α2-AR) agonist, is proposed as a potentially novel antidepressant with multiple mechanisms of action targeting various depression pathophysiological processes. These mechanisms include modulation of the noradrenergic system, regulation of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, influence on the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels, and modulation of neurotransmitter systems, such as glutamate. The review begins with an introduction before moving on to a discussion of DEX's pharmacological features. The pathophysiological and phenomenological targets of DD are also explored, along with the review of the existing preclinical and clinical evidence for DEX's putative anti-depressant effects. Finally, the review ends by presenting the pertinent conclusions and future directions.
AB - Depressive disorders (DD) are common, and their prevalence is expected to rise over the next decade. Depressive disorders are linked to significant morbidity and mortality. The clinical conundrum of depressive disorders lies in the heterogeneity of their phenomenology and etiology. Further, the currently available antidepressants have several limitations, including a delayed onset of action, limited efficacy, and an unfavorable side effect profile. In this review, Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a highly selective and potent α2-adrenergic receptor (α2-AR) agonist, is proposed as a potentially novel antidepressant with multiple mechanisms of action targeting various depression pathophysiological processes. These mechanisms include modulation of the noradrenergic system, regulation of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, influence on the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels, and modulation of neurotransmitter systems, such as glutamate. The review begins with an introduction before moving on to a discussion of DEX's pharmacological features. The pathophysiological and phenomenological targets of DD are also explored, along with the review of the existing preclinical and clinical evidence for DEX's putative anti-depressant effects. Finally, the review ends by presenting the pertinent conclusions and future directions.
KW - Adrenergic alpha-agonists
KW - Antidepressant
KW - Depression
KW - Dexmedetomidine
KW - Major depressive disorder
KW - Treatment resistant-depression
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UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/d960514a-ef01-385a-8ba0-2aef7b757cb8/
U2 - 10.2174/17450179-v19-230823-2023-4
DO - 10.2174/17450179-v19-230823-2023-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 37916205
AN - SCOPUS:85170057372
SN - 1745-0179
VL - 19
SP - e174501792307240
JO - Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health
JF - Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health
IS - 1
M1 - e174501792307240
ER -