Novel Approaches to the Neuropharmacology of Mood Disorders

These are exciting times for research on the pharmacology of mood disorders. The “omics” revolutions, development of non-invasive neuroimaging techniques, definition of biomarkers, and studies in animal models, have partially redefined the field and contributed to the boom in research papers focussing on novel approaches for the neuropharmacology of both major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Recent studies on the anti-depressant effects of ketamine have also brought this topic to the mainline press, where the effectiveness (or lack of) of psychopharmacological drugs targeting mood disorders have been discussed multiple times.

The aim of the present Research Topic is not only to collect a number of original research, reviews, or hypothesis papers, focussing on the neuropharmacology of mood disorders, but also to provide a discussion forum for neurobiologists, neuropharmacologists, and psychiatrists, to analyze the current state of the field and evaluate the possibilities of the development of novel therapeutic drugs in the near future. As such, we are aware of the wide scope of the present Research Topic and we expect to have contributions (original research, reviews, or hypothesis papers) that go from studies on molecular mechanisms, to studies on animal models, discovery of novel targets, analysis of clinical applications of new drugs, the use of modern technologies in the development and evaluation of novel therapeutic agents, and how all these processes may be understood within the context of public mental health.