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Figure 2. Neurotrophins family and their receptors. In performing its functions, NGF binds to the receptor with tropomyosin type A kinase activity (TrkA), NT-3 binds to the TrkC receptor, and NT-4/5 and BDNF have TrkB as their receptor. But NT-4/5 binds with low affinity to TrkB, whereas BDNF has high affinity for this receptor. Neurotrophins also have one receptor in common, the low affinity nerve growth factor receptor or the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR), which regulates the same intracellular pathways. <b>NGF:</b> nerve growth factors; <b>NT-3, 4/5:</b> neurotrophin 3, 4 and 5; <b>BDNF:</b> brain-derived neurothrophic factor.

Figure 3. Antidepressant drugs, unlike other drugs, have indirect targets. The vast majority of drugs after the initial administration reach an initial target and thus a consequent acute effect. Antidepressant drugs, on the other hand, require continued administration for several weeks for the therapeutic effect to appear. This is due to the fact that after administration of antidepressants, they reach an initial target, such as an increase of monoamines, but also other indirect targets, for example, in-crease in BDNF, TrkB and synapses plasticity for the remission of patients symptoms to occur, thus determining long-term adaptive effects.