Drug Targets for Obesity and Depression: From Serotonin to Leptin
The increasing prevalence of both obesity and depression is becoming a significant health concern throughout the world. Evidence suggests a positive and bidirectional association between obesity and depression. It is now well established that central serotonergic system is involved
in the elicitation of satiety signal and elevation of mood. Drugs that increase serotonin neurotransmission are commonly recommended for the treatment of depression. But many patients are not benefitted by these drugs, while remission rate is also not satisfactory. Serotonin based antiobesity
drugs have been either withdrawn from the market or disapproved for long term use. In view of critical need for novel therapeutic targets for obesity and depression, the role of leptin is becoming increasingly important. The peptide hormone secreted by adipocytes can cross blood brain barriers
to elicit satiety signal via its receptors in the hypothalamus. Emerging evidence suggests that the peptide hormone has a role in responses to stress and produces antidepressant like effects. On the other hand, both obesity and depression are often associated with higher levels of leptin in
circulation suggesting insensitivity to leptin. The aim of the present article is to draw research interest towards exploring mechanism involved in leptin resistance. These studies may facilitate the development of alternative treatment strategies, beyond serotonin based drugs, for obesity
depression and their comorbid condition.
Keywords: Obesity; depression; leptin; serotonin
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 September 2016
- Current Drug Targets aims to cover the latest and most outstanding developments on the medicinal chemistry and pharmacology of molecular drug targets e.g. disease specific proteins, receptors, enzymes, genes. Each issue of the journal will be devoted to a single timely topic, with series of in-depth reviews, written by leaders in the field, covering a range of current topics on drug targets. These issues will be organized and led by a guest editor who is a recognized expert in the overall topic. As the discovery, identification, characterisation and validation of novel human drug targets for drug discovery continues to grow; this journal will be essential reading for all pharmaceutical scientists involved in drug discovery and development.
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