[Biochemical prospects in treatment of depressive illness (author's transl)].

Biochemistry of the brain has to avoid the dead-end where psychopharmacology is trapped at the present time. First of all it is needed to draw of the lack of efficacy of the antidepressants of today. Brain biochemical research must go beyond the moamine models and take into considerations the afferent and efferent influences. The sutdy of ECT and ions like lithium, rubidium, and cesium may open up new perspectives to the knowledge of new psychotropic drugs and to their mecanisms of action. Starting from clinical observations new indications for already known non psychotropic drugs could appear.