Psychotropic effects of antimicrobials and immune modulation by psychotropics: implications for neuroimmune disorders

Antimicrobial compounds and psychotropic medications often share overlapping mechanisms of actions and pharmacological effects. The immune system appears to be an important site of interaction as several antimicrobials display neurological and, at times, direct psychotropic effects, while psychotropics have shown significant immunomodulatory properties. The isoniazid class of antibiotics for example has been shown to possess monoamine oxidase activity, while selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have shown significant effects on leukocyte populations. As the importance of the immune system's role in CNS homeostasis and disease continues to move to the forefront of neuropsychiatric research, these shared pharmacological effects may provide an important insight, elucidating the complexities in neuroimmune pathophysiology and guiding the development of potential treatments.