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Buspirone, a new approach to the treatment of anxiety
Author(s) -
Taylor Duncan P.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2.9.2836252
Subject(s) - buspirone , anxiolytic , pharmacology , anxiety , generalized anxiety disorder , receptor , psychology , neuroscience , benzodiazepine , medicine , serotonin , psychiatry
Anxiety has historically been treated by agents with a sedative component to their action. In the last decade or so it has been determined that γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors may mediate the anxiolytic actions of the benzodiazepines, propanediol carbamates, barbiturates, and ethanol. However, inasmuch as these drugs have additional pharmacological properties (sedation, muscle relaxation, seizure control), the search for an anxioselective drug was continued. Buspirone appears to be such a drug. Clinical studies have clearly demonstrated the efficacy of buspirone in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder without the ancillary pharmacology of earlier anxiolytics. Buspirone does not act on the GABA receptor. Rather, its most salient interaction with neurotransmitter receptors occurs at the 5‐HT 1A serotonin receptor. This action is supported by studies focused on receptor binding, anatomical localization, biochemistry, neurophysiology, and animal behavior. The recognition that action at 5‐HT 1 a receptors may be a viable approach to the pharmacotherapy of anxiety is evidenced by the number of other agents of this class under development by a number of pharmaceutical companies.— T aylor , D. P. Buspirone, a new approach to the treatment of anxiety. FASEB J. 2: 2445‐2452; 1988.