Past Issues

Since 1970s, psychotropic medications had been remarkably developed. But only limited brand-new drugs have come out of the market since 1990s. Limiting the development of new psychotropic agents has three reasons: high loading of genetic component in major mental illnesses, the pathogeneses of major mental illness still being unknown, and the involvement of neurodegeneration in major mental illnesses. In other words, the high level of social impairment and chronic deteriorating course suggest that many mental illnesses have neurodegenerative characteristics. Using memantine and dextromethorphan for their anti-imflmmato- ry and neuroprotective benefits, we have done some animal and human studies. This overview focusing on the data of those two agents, is intended to help clini- cians and researchers have new thoughts of psychiatric disorders and better idea to develop better treatment.