Neurochemical and metabolic aspects of antidepressants: an overview.

Antidepressants, in addition to being effective therapeutic agents for depression, have also proved to be multifaceted drugs useful for treating a number of other psychiatric and neurologic disorders. Despite the widespread use of these drugs, much remains to be understood about their mechanisms of action and other important aspects, such as their metabolism and potential interactions with other drugs. This article reviews research conducted in the authors' laboratories on various aspects of antidepressants, including trace amines and antidepressants, gamma-aminobutyric acid and antidepressants, drug metabolism, development and application of rapid, sensitive assay procedures for antidepressants and their metabolites; and drug development based on analogues of the antidepressants phenelzine and tranylcypromine. The significance of this work to future drug development is also discussed.