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Histamine receptors as potential therapeutic targets to treat anxiety and depression
Author(s) -
Raber Jacob
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
drug development research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.582
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1098-2299
pISSN - 0272-4391
DOI - 10.1002/ddr.20015
Subject(s) - histamine , anxiety , histamine h1 receptor , histamine receptor , histamine h3 receptor , depression (economics) , psychology , receptor , histamine h4 receptor , pharmacology , stimulation , histamine h2 receptor , medicine , neuroscience , psychiatry , antagonist , economics , macroeconomics
Increasing evidence supports a role for histamine in anxiety and depression. In most studies, histamine and stimulation of the histamine H 1 receptor (H 1 R) or blockade of the histamine H 2 receptor (H 2 R) increase measures of anxiety. In contrast, in most studies histamine reduces depression‐like activity, which might be related to effects of histamine on waking. These effects of histamine on anxiety and depression make histamine receptor ligands attractive therapeutic targets. As most studies assessing the potential of histamine receptor ligands on depression did not exclude potential effects of these ligands on locomotor activity, more studies are warranted to determine the exact role of histamine receptor subtypes in depression. The effects of histamine‐mediated signaling on anxiety and depression should also be considered in assessments of the potential of histamine H 3 receptor (H 3 R) ligands for conditions characterized by cognitive impairments as well as noncognitive behavioral impairments. Drug Dev. Res. 65:126–132, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.