Acute effects of atypical antidepressants on various receptors in the rat brain

Using in vitro receptor binding techniques, the effects of a number of different antidepressants on rat cerebral cortex receptors were investigated. In contrast to the tricyclic antidepressants, which potently inhibit several postsynaptic receptors, many atypical antidepressants have no or very little affinity for these receptors. Thus bupropion, amineptine, citalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and viloxazine are devoid of any activity, while amoxapine, doxepin and trazodone exert effects on a number of receptors. The implications of these receptor blocking effects are discussed.