Abstract
As detailed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders III-R (DSM-III-R), major depressive illness, a syndrome of unknown pathophysiology, includes both psychological and physiological characteristics.1 It has been estimated that 5–6% or roughly 10 million Americans suffer from depression each year.2 The standard pharmacological treatment of depression, either tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), fails completely in 30–40% of patients and does not fully control the symptoms in others.3,4 The more recently developed heterocyclic drugs show no greater efficacy.4 Additionally, all current therapies are associated with variable side-effects that either limit the tolerated dose within an individual (e.g. anticholinergic effects, sedation) or prevent their use in an entire group of individuals (e.g. cardiotoxicity).5 A strong need remains for the development of antidepressant drugs that have greater overall efficacy associated with a more broadly acceptable side-effect profile.
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References
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Siegel, J.L., Dziewanowska, Z.E., Laine, H. (1990). Antidepressants. In: O’Grady, J., Linet, O.I. (eds) Early Phase Drug Evaluation in Man. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-10705-6_34
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-10705-6_34
Publisher Name: Palgrave, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-10707-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-10705-6
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