Author/Editor		Šalamon Arčan, Iris; Kouter, Katarina; Videtič Paska, Alja
Title		Depressive disorder and antidepressants from an epigenetic point of view
Type		članek
Vol. and No.		Letnik 12, št. 9
Publication year		2022
Volume		str. 1150-1168
ISSN		2220-3206
Language		eng
Abstract		Depressive disorder is a complex, heterogeneous disease that affects approx- imately 280 million people worldwide. Environmental, genetic, and neurobio- logical factors contribute to the depressive state. Since the nervous system is susceptible to shifts in activity of epigenetic modifiers, these allow for significant plasticity and response to rapid changes in the environment. Among the most studied epigenetic modifications in depressive disorder is DNA methylation, with findings centered on the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene, the glucocor- ticoid receptor gene, and the serotonin transporter gene. In order to identify biomarkers that would be useful in clinical settings, for diagnosis and for treatment response, further research on antidepressants and alterations they cause in the epigenetic landscape throughout the genome is needed. Studies on cornerstone antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, norepinephrine, and dopamine reuptake inhibitors and their effects on depressive disorder are available, but systematic conclusions on their effects are still hard to draw due to the highly heterogeneous nature of the studies. In addition, two novel drugs, ketamine and esketamine, are being investigated particularly in association with treatment of resistant depression, which is one of the hot topics of contemporary research and the field of precision psychiatry.
Keywords		depresija epigenetika metilacija DNA depression epigenetics DNA methylation