Blog

By Yu-Ming Wang, Cong-Yuan Xi, Hong-Mei Jia, Jun He, Wen-Wen Lian, Yu Yan, Wen-Ping Wang, Wei-Ku Zhang, and Jie-Kun Xua

Introduction to the article in Neurochemistry International, 8 July 2022, 105390, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105390

Autor’s Highlights

• The expression of Sigma-1 receptor is changed in animal models of depression and patients with depression.
• Activation of Sigma-1 receptor ameliorates depressive-like behaviors.
• Positron emission tomography of Sigma-1 receptor is a potential imaging approach for diagnose of depression.
• The antidepressant-like effect of Sigma-1 receptor may be related to regulation of neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter, neurogenesis, endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial function.

Abstract

Though a great many of studies on the development of antidepressants for the therapy of major depression disorder (MDD) and the development of antidepressants have been carried out, there still lacks an efficient approach in clinical practice. The involvement of Sigma-1 receptor in the pathological process of MDD has been verified. In this review, recent research focusing on the role of Sigma-1 receptor in the etiology of MDD was summarized. Preclinical studies and clinical trials have found that stress induce the variation of Sigma-1 receptor in the blood, brain and heart. Dysfunction and absence of Sigma-1 receptor result in depressive-like behaviors in rodent animals. Agonists of Sigma-1 receptor show not only antidepressant-like activities but also therapeutical effects in complications of depression. The mechanisms underlying antidepressant-like effects of Sigma-1 receptor may include suppressing neuroinflammation, regulating neurotransmitters, ameliorating brain-derived neurotrophic factor and N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor, and alleviating the endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondria damage during stress. Therefore, Sigma-1 receptor represents a potential target for antidepressants development.