Uncoupling the dopamine D1-D2 receptor complex: a novel target for antidepressant treatment.

Depression, or major depressive disorder (MDD), is a serious mental illness that causes substantial worldwide disability. Current antidepressant medications mostly target the serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmitter systems. These drugs are ineffective in many patients, and there are limited options for treatment-resistant depression. The dopamine neurotransmitter system has recently been identified as another modulator of mood and depressive symptoms, and a recently discovered interaction between the dopamine D1 and D2 receptor may be a novel antidepressant target.