Published in:
01-12-2017 | Preclinical and Psychophysiology (F Guarraci and L Marson, Section Editors)
Preclinical Models for Assessment of Antidepressant Abuse Potential
Published in: Current Sexual Health Reports | Issue 4/2017
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Purpose of Review
This review considers the contribution of monoamine neurotransmitters to anhedonia, substance abuse, and sexual dysfunction and the relationship between antidepressant efficacy and abuse liability.
Recent Findings
The use of drugs with known abuse potential to treat depression, the addition of psychostimulants with antidepressants, and the development of novel antidepressants with preclinical evidence for abuse liability have increased in recent years. This is in contrast to the general lack of abuse potential reported for traditional antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. While these new strategies might have the benefit of reduced sexual dysfunction, it is at the expense of increased abuse liability.
Summary
Increasing extracellular dopamine may both increase antidepressant efficacy and reduce sexual dysfunction, but it increases abuse potential. Preclinical researchers should incorporate behavioral economics to assess both antidepressant efficacy and abuse liability while clinicians need to be aware of this relationship in considering novel treatments.