Department of Neuropharmacology named after Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences S.V. Anichkov

Research in the field of psychoneuroendocrinology is actively developing. Hormonal status disorders are known to underlie behavioral and cognitive deficits in aging, Alzheimer's disease, menopausal and premenstrual syndrome in women. Based on the study of the interaction between the endocrine and neurotransmitter systems, drugs are being developed that combine the properties of hormones (estrogen, androgen) and neurotropic agents (agonist-antagonist of M1 acetylcholine receptors, 1A and 2A serotonin receptors, D1 and D2 dopamine receptors). The use of substances of this kind will make it possible to eliminate disorders in both the endocrine and neurotransmitter systems simultaneously, preventing the formation of a "vicious" circle. Molecular pathogenetic studies have shown disorders of neuroendocrine transmission (steroid, thyroid hormones, biogenic amines and their metabolites), intracellular signal transduction (SC2 cascade) and receptor expression (1A- and 2A-serotonin receptors, 17b-estradiol) in cognitive disorders associated with estrogen deficiency and aging. An important section of psychoneuroendocrinological research is the study of the non-hormonal effects of hormones and hormone-like substances. Thus, pharmacological analysis using liberins, the tropic hormones of the pituitary gland, revealed the hormonal components of dependence on alcohol, opiates, psychostimulants and other narcogens. The possibility of blocking addictive behavior in animals by intrastructural administration of antagonists of corticoliberin, ghrelin, orexin and substance P, i.e. peptide hormones modulating emotional and motivational components of behavior, is shown. On this basis, a platform has been formulated for the creation of pharmacological drugs with an anti-narcotic effect.