The molecular interaction between the glutamatergic, noradrenergic, dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems informs a detailed genetic perspective on depressive phenotypes

The glutamatergic pathway has been consistently involved in the physiopathology of depressive disorder. However a complete dissection and integration of its role in the context of other known mechanisms is lacking. We summarized and integrated the evidence of various levels of interaction between glutamatergic and monoaminergic pathways (see videos). We identified six molecular pathways, some of which with specific regional distribution within the brain. From the six pathways we identified the key proteins and their coding genes, we then provided a detailed list of possible candidates with practical suggestions for association studies planning. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.