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Modulation of synaptic plasticity by stress and antidepressants
Author(s) -
Popoli Maurizio,
Gennarelli Massimo,
Racagni Giorgio
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
bipolar disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.285
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1399-5618
pISSN - 1398-5647
DOI - 10.1034/j.1399-5618.2002.01159.x
Subject(s) - synaptic plasticity , neuroscience , long term potentiation , monoaminergic , neurotransmission , metaplasticity , glutamatergic , synaptic fatigue , monoamine neurotransmitter , nmda receptor , glutamate receptor , hippocampus , synaptic scaling , nonsynaptic plasticity , biology , medicine , receptor , serotonin
Recent preclinical and clinical studies have shown that mechanisms underlying neuronal plasticity and survival are involved in both the outcome of stressful experiences and the action of antidepressants. Whereas most antidepressants predominantly affect the brain levels of monoamine neurotransmitters, it is increasingly appreciated that they also modulate neurotransmission at synapses using the neurotransmitter glutamate (the most abundant in the brain). In the hippocampus, a main area of the limbic system involved in cognitive functions as well as attention and affect, specific molecules enriched at glutamatergic synapses mediate major changes in synaptic plasticity induced by stress paradigms or antidepressant treatments. We analyze here the modifications induced by stress or antidepressants in the strength of synaptic transmission in hippocampus, and the molecular modifications induced by antidepressants in two main mediators of synaptic plasticity: the N ‐methyl‐ D ‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor complex for glutamate and the Ca 2+ /calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II). Both stress and antidepressants induce alterations in long‐term potentiation of hippocampal glutamatergic synapses, which may be partly accounted for by the influence of environmental or drug‐induced stimulation of monoaminergic pathways projecting to the hippocampus. In the course of antidepressant treatments significant changes have been described in both the NMDA receptor and CaM kinase II, which may account for the physiological changes observed. A central role in these synaptic changes is exerted by brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which modulates both synaptic plasticity and its molecular mediators, as well as inducing morphological synaptic changes. The role of these molecular effectors in synaptic plasticity is discussed in relation to the action of antidepressants and the search for new molecular targets of drug action in the therapy of mood disorders.