[The review of monograph "The history of antidepressants. Book I: The irreversible non-selective inhibitors of mono-amine oxidase" by D. S. Danilov].

The publication is the only monograph in Russia devoted to description of history of development of irreversible non-selective inhibitors of mono-amine oxidase. It is the first group of antidepressants becoming available for physicians to be applied in clinical practice. The necessity of such publications is obvious because information presented through history perspective permits to better understand process of formation of modern practical guidelines of applying psychotropic drugs. The monograph presents well structured thorough systematization and detailed analysis of data of history of irreversible non-selective inhibitors of mono-amine oxidase. The text includes multitude of facts of scientific interest. For example, application of drug in the USSR, Russia and other countries of post-Soviet space, input of specialists from these countries into development of psycho-pharmacotherapy, experience of using inhibitors of mono-amine oxidase in treatment of somatic diseases. In addition, every chapter presents many historical excursus into important general psychiatric and even general medical issues. The monograph undoubtedly will arise interest among psychiatrists, neurologists, pharmacologists, etc.

90 years of monoamine oxidase: some progress and some confusion.

It would not be practical to attempt to deal with all the advances that have informed our understanding of the behavior and functions of this enzyme over the past 90 years. This account concentrates key advances that explain why the monoamine oxidases remain of pharmacological and biochemical interest and on some areas of continuing uncertainty. Some issues that remain to be understood or are in need of further clarification are highlighted.

Monoamine oxidase: isoforms and inhibitors in Parkinson's disease and depressive illness.

A few years after the foundation of the British Pharmacological Society, monoamine oxidase (MAO) was recognized as an enzyme of crucial interest to pharmacologists because it catalyzed the major inactivation pathway for the catecholamine neurotransmitters, noradrenaline, adrenaline and dopamine (and, later, 5-hydroxytryptamine, as well). Within the next decade, the therapeutic value of inhibitors of MAO in the treatment of depressive illness was established. Although this first clinical use exposed serious side effects, pharmacological interest in, and investigation of, MAO continued, resulting in the characterization of two isoforms, MAO-A and -B, and isoform-selective inhibitors. Selective inhibitors of MAO-B have found a therapeutic role in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and further developments have provided reversible inhibitors of MAO-A, which offer antidepressant activity without the serious side effects of the earlier inhibitors. Clinical observation and subsequent pharmacological analysis have also generated the concept of neuroprotection, reflecting the possibility of slowing, halting and maybe reversing, neurodegeneration in Parkinson's or Alzheimer's diseases. Increased levels of oxidative stress in the brain may be critical for the initiation and progress of neurodegeneration and selective inhibition of brain MAO could contribute importantly to lowering such stress. There are complex interactions between free iron levels in brain and MAO, which may have practical outcomes for depressive disorders. These aspects of MAO and its inhibition and some indication of how this important area of pharmacology and therapeutics might develop in the future are summarized in this review.

The relationship of early studies of monoamine oxidase to present concepts.

The development of our understanding of monoamine oxidase (MAO), of its role in the metabolism of amines and of the therapeutic usefulness of MAO inhibitors (MAOIs) have evolved, slowly at times and rapidly at other times, with leaps propelled by new discoveries, new techniques and new insights. Moussa Youdim was one of the major contributors to propulsion of several of these leaps, including the detection of multiple forms of MAO, the descriptions of their properties, active sites and substrates, the use of MAOIs for enhancement of DOPA in treating Parkinson's disease and the evolution of MAO-B inhibitors from mere enzyme inhibitors to lead compounds in the discovery of neuroprotective agents for use in degenerative neurological diseases. Since others will be describing the more recent developments in this field, I thought it would be of interest and instructive to recount the unfolding of our early understanding of MAO, dating from its discovery until the events that first suggested that drugs that inhibit MAO might be neuroprotective. While even the earliest observations about MAO were valid, they were often misinterpreted or confusing, whereas others were predictive of several of our newer concepts of MAO and of side effects encountered in patients treated with MAOIs.

The locus coeruleus: history.

The author outlines the history of the locus coeruleus from its discovery to the latest research findings. Although Russel's report in Texas has been believed to be the first break-through scientific article of this neuronal structure, there were two preceding, anatomical and physiological, studies made by Japanese groups. One of the aims of this review is to shed brief light on their works, which being written in Japanese so that might have been unfamiliar to most researchers in the world.