Clinical specificity profile for novel rapid acting antidepressant drugs.
International clinical psychopharmacology September 1, 2023 Mauro Scala, Giuseppe Fanelli, Diana De Ronchi et al. 40 citations
Mood disorders are long-lasting conditions with inconsistent remission rates. Standard antidepressants fail many patients, cause side effects like weight gain and sexual problems, and act slowly. Newer drugs aim to work faster, with fewer side effects, and target symptoms poorly addressed by older medications, such as anhedonia, suicidal thoughts, insomnia, cognitive deficits, and irritability. These agents act on glutamate, GABA, orexin, and other receptors, offering more pharmacodynamic variety to personalize treatment. This review covers the clinical profiles of nine novel compounds—including psilocybin, esmethadone, and zuranolone—to help clinicians weigh benefits and risks for patients with different mood disorder symptoms and comorbidities.