Symposium
Session Room: M1
Session Room: M1
Monday, June 29, 12:15 PM – 01:30 PM
Symposium 27:
The role of glutamate and glutamatergic agents in mood disorders: current evidence and future directions
The role of glutamate and glutamatergic agents in mood disorders: current evidence and future directions
The glutamatergic system plays a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of mood disorders, shaping emotional regulation, cognitive processing, and neuroplasticity. Over the last decade, converging lines of research have positioned glutamate as a central target for novel antidepressant strategies that act beyond monoaminergic modulation (1). This symposium will integrate preclinical, translational, and clinical perspectives to provide a comprehensive overview of current evidence and future directions in glutamatergic psychiatry.
Prof. Gabriella Gobbi will open the session with a translational overview of the glutamatergic system in affective disorders. She will explore the mechanisms by which alterations in glutamatergic signaling and receptor subtypes (NMDA, AMPA, and mGluR) influence synaptic plasticity, stress response, and emotional behavior (2). Emphasis will be placed on how dysregulated excitation–inhibition balance contributes to the neurobiology of depression, supported by preclinical and neuroimaging findings.
Prof. Allan H. Young will then focus on the therapeutic implications of glutamatergic modulation in unipolar and bipolar depression. His presentation will review the clinical development of rapid-acting antidepressants and other glutamatergic agents, including ketamine, esketamine, and next-generation NMDA receptor modulators (3). Evidence regarding efficacy, safety, and mechanistic hypotheses will be discussed, along with current clinical guidelines and the positioning of these treatments within contemporary practice.
Prof. Marco Di Nicola will conclude the symposium by addressing the clinical and diagnostic relevance of glutamatergic dysfunction in treatment-resistant depression. Drawing from clinical and real-world studies, he will describe how glutamate-related alterations manifest in specific symptom dimensions—such as affective instability, cognitive impairment, and sleep–wake dysregulation—common across mood disorders and in cases of comorbidities (4). His talk will emphasize the importance of recognizing glutamatergic-linked phenotypes to improve diagnostic accuracy and prognostic assessment in resistant cases.
Under the moderation of Prof. Giovanni Martinotti, the session will foster interdisciplinary discussion on how basic neuroscience can inform clinical decisions and future pharmacological innovation. By bridging mechanistic insights with clinical reality, this symposium aims to enhance the translational understanding of the glutamatergic system and its potential to redefine therapeutic paradigms in mood disorders.
Prof. Gabriella Gobbi will open the session with a translational overview of the glutamatergic system in affective disorders. She will explore the mechanisms by which alterations in glutamatergic signaling and receptor subtypes (NMDA, AMPA, and mGluR) influence synaptic plasticity, stress response, and emotional behavior (2). Emphasis will be placed on how dysregulated excitation–inhibition balance contributes to the neurobiology of depression, supported by preclinical and neuroimaging findings.
Prof. Allan H. Young will then focus on the therapeutic implications of glutamatergic modulation in unipolar and bipolar depression. His presentation will review the clinical development of rapid-acting antidepressants and other glutamatergic agents, including ketamine, esketamine, and next-generation NMDA receptor modulators (3). Evidence regarding efficacy, safety, and mechanistic hypotheses will be discussed, along with current clinical guidelines and the positioning of these treatments within contemporary practice.
Prof. Marco Di Nicola will conclude the symposium by addressing the clinical and diagnostic relevance of glutamatergic dysfunction in treatment-resistant depression. Drawing from clinical and real-world studies, he will describe how glutamate-related alterations manifest in specific symptom dimensions—such as affective instability, cognitive impairment, and sleep–wake dysregulation—common across mood disorders and in cases of comorbidities (4). His talk will emphasize the importance of recognizing glutamatergic-linked phenotypes to improve diagnostic accuracy and prognostic assessment in resistant cases.
Under the moderation of Prof. Giovanni Martinotti, the session will foster interdisciplinary discussion on how basic neuroscience can inform clinical decisions and future pharmacological innovation. By bridging mechanistic insights with clinical reality, this symposium aims to enhance the translational understanding of the glutamatergic system and its potential to redefine therapeutic paradigms in mood disorders.