Trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) agonists

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a severe, chronic, and often disabling psychiatric disorder affecting nearly 20 million people worldwide [1]. Schizophrenia persists to be one of the hardest diseases to treat nowadays. Reasons can be found in the heterogeneity within the disease and regards to the treatment response. In general, the first episode occurs in late adolescence and is usually foregone by a prodromal phase characterized by social and cognitive deficits. Positive symptoms tend to appear in a relapsingremitting fashion, while cognitive and negative symptomatology has a more chronic trajectory and impacts social functioning [2]. Despite the complexity of the disease, current pharmacological treatment primarily relies on dopamine receptor (D2) blockade. First generation antipsychotics predominantly deploy their action through D2 receptor blockade. Second-generation antipsychotics exert additional antagonism at other receptors such as those of the serotonin system, such as 5-HT2A. Several antipsychotics also demonstrate additional activity at adrenergic, cholinergic, histaminergic and other serotonergic reTrace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) agonists