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. 2022:58:467-489.
doi: 10.1007/7854_2022_357.

Pharmacological Treatments for Anhedonia

Matthew E Klein  1 , Ariela Buxbaum Grice  2 , Sahil Sheth  2 , Megan Go  2 , James W Murrough  3   4
Affiliations

Pharmacological Treatments for Anhedonia

Matthew E Klein et al. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2022.

Abstract

Anhedonia - the reduced ability to experience or respond to pleasure - is an important symptom domain for many psychiatric disorders. It is particularly relevant to depression and other mood disorders and it is a diagnostic criterion of a major depressive episode. Developing safe and effective pharmacological interventions for anhedonia is a critical public health need. The current chapter will review the state of the field with respect to both the efficacy of currently available pharmacotherapies for anhedonia and the recent clinical research focusing on new brain targets, including the kappa-opioid receptor and the KCNQ2/3 receptors. The evidence for anti-anhedonic effects of ketamine and psychedelic agents will be reviewed, as well.

Keywords: Anhedonia; Antidepressant; Depression; KCNQ; Ketamine; Opioid; Psychedelic; Reward.

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