[Dopa and dopamine agonists in depression (author's transl)]

Following a summary of the functional organisation of the ascending dopamine systems, the pharmacology of the dopamine synaptic receptors is considered. The stress is placed upon the differences induced by dopamine agonists during short-term and long-term treatment. In this connection, recent ideas on the heterogeneous nature of the dopamine receptors, on their specificity and on their functional role will be discussed. The dopaminergic action of certain antidepressants will be studied by analysing the different types of activity: presynaptic release, direct pre- or post-synaptic agonism. The role of dopaminergic transmission in depression of mood is considered finally on the basis of clinico-biochemical correlations. Finally, dopaminergic activity is linked with the other possible changes in cerebral monoamines by drafting a table of the interactions between the neurotransmitters.