International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 9, 2026
N Nicosia, J Mingardi, G Terribile et al.
Abstract Background Chronic stress is a key risk factor for major depressive disorder (MDD), one of the leading causes of disability worldwide1. Despite available pharmacological therapies, treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remains a clinical challenge. Hallucinogens such as ketamine and serotonergic psychedelics including psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)2 show rapid...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 1, 2026
J Mingardi, S Spinosa, N Nicosia et al.
Abstract Background Stress is a recognized risk factor for developmental and adult psychiatric disorders. Indeed, stressful events, particularly during the first phases of life, such as trauma, neglect or abuse, have been associated with increased psychiatric risk over the course of a lifetime, although with some sex-differences. Indeed, the biological sex shapes the stress response impacting...
Pharmacological Research
August 26, 2026
Mattia Giovenzana, Noemi Nicosia, Stefano Spinosa et al.
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) comprise a heterogeneous group of conditions arising from altered brain development and leading to impairments in social, cognitive, emotional, and motor domains. Clinical manifestations are highly variable in severity and symptom profile, reflecting the complex and multifactorial etiology of NDDs. Available treatments are limited to early behavioral...
Translational Psychiatry
May 25, 2024
Marta Valenza, Roberta Facchinetti, Carola Torazza et al.
26 citations
Stress affects the brain and alters its neuroarchitecture and function; these changes can be severe and lead to psychiatric disorders. Recent evidence suggests that astrocytes and microglia play an essential role in the stress response by contributing to the maintenance of cerebral homeostasis. These cells respond rapidly to all stimuli that reach the brain, including stressors. Here, we used a...
October 1, 2020
Laura Musazzi
1 citation
Intranasal esketamine has been recently approved by both the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for treatment-resistant depression in adults and will be soon clinically available also in Italy. Esketamine is the (S) enantiomer of ketamine, a non-competitive N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor antagonist, introduced in clinics as...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
November 14, 2018
Bashkim Kadriu, Laura Musazzi, Ioline D. Henter et al.
164 citations
The underlying neurobiological basis of major depressive disorder remains elusive due to the severity, complexity, and heterogeneity of the disorder. While the traditional monoaminergic hypothesis has largely fallen short in its ability to provide a complete picture of major depressive disorder, emerging preclinical and clinical findings suggest that dysfunctional glutamatergic...