FUTURE-DIRECTIONS IN ANXIOLYTIC PHARMACOTHERAPY

Pharmacologists have been searching for new anxiolytic drugs that are fast acting and free from the unwanted side effects associated with th e traditional benzodiazepines through two major approaches. The first approach entails the discovery of compounds that act as partial agonis ts at benzodiazepine receptors, which, in turn, are linked to GABA-A r eceptors. The second approach is based on recent experimental findings that demonstrate the role of multiple additional neurotransmitters an d neuropeptides in the neurobiology of anxiety. This article provides an overview of recent developments based on both these approaches and offers a glimpse of new potential anxiolytic therapies.