Mixed Depression and Anxiety: Serotonin1A Receptors as a Common Pharmacologic Link

Although depressive and anxious symptoms frequently coexist, most studies tend to dichotomizeanxiety disorders from depression. Consequently, pharmacologic agents are designated as antidepressantsor anxiolytics. A number of developments are reversing this trend. One is changes inconceptualization of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder to recognizethe frequent existence of simultaneous symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with relatedaffective and anxiety disorders. A second is the increasing recognition that subsyndromal symptomsof anxiety and depression frequently exist that do not reach thresholds for GAD or depression but thatmay decompensate to overt anxiety disorder or depression. A third is the discovery of partial agonistsfor serotonin1A receptor subtypes that have promising efficacy in mixed depression and anxiety.