[Implications of cAMP signaling in affective disorders]

The last decade brought about a shift in the theoretical framework, addressing the issue of affective disorders. During this period, the research endeavors have been directed towards investigating the biochemical mechanisms involved in the transduction of informations from the self surface to the cell interior. Nowadays, the emerging picture is that various signal transduction pathways could be linked to the pharmacotherapy and pathophysiology of affective disorders. Among these pathways, in this review the role of the cAMP signaling system will be highlighted. In particular, a summary of the preclinical and clinical data suggesting the involvement of the downstream components of this system in affective disorders will be given. This framework has the potential to improve our knowledge providing clues for the development of novel research strategies in the field of affective disorders.