http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-drug-combination-highlights-potential-depression.html

Drug combination highlights potential new depression treatment
by Andy Dunne, June 15, 2015

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The team at Bath found that using a combination of buprenorphine (a painkiller used post-surgery) and naltrexone (a drug used for treating addiction) produced antidepressant-like responses in mice.

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Buprenorphine reduces the patient's response to stress by blocking a receptor in the brain called the kappa opioid receptor. However it also stimulates a related receptor called the mu opioid receptor which could cause addictive effects if taken long term or used by depressed patients.

To counter this, the researchers used the anti-addiction drug naltrexone, which blocks the mu receptor. They found for the first time that in mice this combination gave an antidepressant effect.

Dr Bailey added: "Our study shows that using a combination of naltrexone and buprenorphine gives an antidepressant effect in mice, but without the problems of addiction that could be caused by using buprenorphine alone.

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