The history of mianserin and mirtazapine: study of their neurochemical activity and determination of their position in the classification of antidepressants

Abstract

The paper systematizes the history of studying the neurochemical activity of mianserin and mirtazapine. The concept of the development of the antidepressant effect of these drugs, by stimulating the release of norepinephrine into the synaptic cleft, is shown to have gained unanimously acceptance. The data on manifestation of their thymoleptic effect due to stimulation of the release of serotonin into the synaptic cleft have been disputed. Other neurochemical theories of the development of the antidepressant activity of mianserin and mirtazapine have been unproven or rejected. The history of identifying the position of mianserin and mirtazapine in the classification of antidepressants has been generalized. The paper shows the ambiguity of approaches to this issue. As turned out, the legality of using the term «noradrenalinergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant» has been criticized. Analysis of historical facts has identified that it is rational to assign mianserin and mirtazapine to one neurochemical group and its designation by the term «norepinephrine and (presumably) serotonin release stimulators – α2-adrenergic receptor and serotonin 5-HT2 receptor blockers».

Keywords

• mianserin
• mirtazapine
• α2-adrenergic receptors
• serotonin 5-ht2 receptors
• norepinephrine
• serotonin
• α2-adrenergic receptor blockers
• noradrenalinergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants
• norepinephrine and serotonin release stimulators – α2-adrenergic and serotonin 5-ht2 receptor blockers
• history of antidepressants