Dopaminergic deficit and mood disorders

The roles of serotonin and noradrenaline in the pathogenesis of mood disorders have been elucidated by numerous studies, which support the therapeutic use of tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. The same has not occurred for dopamine, notwithstanding the fact that the crucial role of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system in behaviour has been known to researchers for many years. The objective of this article is to provide an overview of the animal data that demonstrate the importance of dopamine in animal behaviour and suggest that dopaminergic deficiency may cause a number of psychiatric symptoms in man. © 2002 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins