Monoamine-depleting agent

Monoamine-depleting agents are a group of drugs which reversibly deplete one or more of the monoamine neurotransmitters – serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

[1][2] One mechanism by which these agents act is by inhibiting reuptake by the vesicular monoamine transporters, VMAT1 and VMAT2.

[2][3] Examples of monoamine-depleting agents include deutetrabenazine, oxypertine, reserpine, tetrabenazine, and valbenazine.

[1][2][3] Tetrabenazine selectively depletes dopamine at low doses and is used as an animal model of amotivation.

[4][5] Monoamine synthesis inhibitors, such as the tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor and serotonin synthesis inhibitor para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA or fenclonine), also act as monoamine-depleting agents, as do various other agents, for instance monoaminergic neurotoxins.