New Horizons in Drug Development Targeting Depression

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 409

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Chronic Diseases and Civilization-Related Hazards, Faculty of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
Interests: depression; psychogeriatrics; dementia; suicydology

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Guest Editor
Department of Psychiatry, Department of Neurology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
Interests: depression; forensic psychiatry; esquetamine; bipolar affective disorder

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Guest Editor
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
Interests: depression; schizophrenia; mood disorders; psychopharmacology

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Guest Editor
Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation in Katowice, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
Interests: bipolar affective disorder; depression; psychopharmacology; sexology; anxiety disorders

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled "New Horizons in Drug Development Targeting Depression", will explore the latest advancements and innovations in treating depression through developing novel pharmacological interventions. Depression remains one of the foremost global health challenges, with conventional therapeutic strategies often failing to achieve satisfactory outcomes, particularly in cases of treatment-resistant depression. This Special Issue will focus on emerging molecular mechanisms and novel therapeutic targets that may serve as a foundation for developing more effective pharmacotherapies.

Innovative approaches will be discussed, including interventions targeting the glutamatergic system, epigenetic therapies, and next-generation psychoactive compounds such as psilocybin and MDMA, which hold transformative potential for redefining depression treatment paradigms.

This Special Issue will also encompass integrating advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and microbiome research, in identifying novel drug candidates. Furthermore, this Special Issue will address the personalization of treatment strategies, the integration of pharmacological therapy with psychotherapeutic modalities, and the challenges associated with managing depression in patients with comorbid conditions, particularly neurodevelopmental disorders. Our overarching goal is to present innovative solutions that enhance patient quality of life and improve therapeutic efficacy in managing depression.

Dr. Michał Górski
Dr. Joanna Fojcik
Dr. Agnieszka Koźmin-Burzyńska
Prof. Dr. Marek Krzystanek
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • treatment-resistant depression
  • novel antidepressants
  • glutamatergic system
  • personalized medicine
  • psychoactive therapies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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18 pages, 494 KB  
Systematic Review
Bromocriptine, Selegiline and Amantadine in the Treatment of Depression—A Systematic Review
by Rafał Bieś, Marek Krzystanek, Michał Górski, Agnieszka Koźmin-Burzyńska, Anna Warchala, Beata Trędzbor, Ewa Martyniak and Joanna Fojcik
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(11), 1664; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18111664 - 3 Nov 2025
Abstract
Background: Depressive disorders are among the most common and disabling psychiatric conditions. A growing body of evidence suggests that dopaminergic dysfunction plays a key role in the pathophysiology of anhedonia, amotivation, and psychomotor slowing. This systematic review aims to determine whether bromocriptine, [...] Read more.
Background: Depressive disorders are among the most common and disabling psychiatric conditions. A growing body of evidence suggests that dopaminergic dysfunction plays a key role in the pathophysiology of anhedonia, amotivation, and psychomotor slowing. This systematic review aims to determine whether bromocriptine, amantadine, and selegiline improve depressive symptoms compared to placebo or standard antidepressants, and to test the hypothesis that their antidepressant effects are mediated by dopaminergic modulation of motivational and reward circuits. Methods: The review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. Results: Twenty-eight studies met inclusion criteria. Selegiline, particularly in transdermal form, reduced HAM-D scores by approximately 40% from baseline and by 25–30% relative to placebo. Amantadine augmentation achieved ≥50% symptom improvement in 60–70% of treatment-resistant cases. Bromocriptine yielded comparable response rates (~60%) to tricyclic antidepressants. All three agents improved anhedonia and motivational deficits. Conclusions: Findings suggest that bromocriptine, amantadine, and selegiline may represent effective dopaminergic antidepressants, particularly for treatment-resistant or atypical depression. Further large-scale, methodologically rigorous studies are needed to confirm their clinical utility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Horizons in Drug Development Targeting Depression)
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