The Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitor Sildenafil as an Adjunct to Antidepressants in Major Depressive Disorder Patients
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2021-12-31
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Antidepressant-like effects of sildenafil to its ability to modulate transduction pathways
responsible for neuroplasticity. Treatment with sildenafil was shown to be PKG-dependent and
lead to increased expression of cGMP, pCREB, BDNF and VGF in the hippocampus and prefrontal
cortex (PFC), brain areas relevant to mood disorders pathophysiology. Sildenafil produces
antidepressant-like effects by inhibiting oxidative stress in the hippocampus and by
decreasing the levels of IL-1β in the hippocampus and striatum.