Therapeutic potential of COX-2 inhibitors in neuropsychiatric disorders

Neuropsychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder, migraine, major depressive disorder, epilepsy, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, are a huge burden on global health, impacting millions of individuals worldwide and posing significant barriers to effective treatment. Despite advancements in medication and psychotherapy, many patients continue to suffer from severe symptoms and receive little alleviation. All of these conditions are quite frequent, yet they affect people in a way that is exceedingly detrimental. The increasing evidence suggests the connection between these disorders and inflammation. Therefore, the use of anti-inflammatory agents, namely cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors, offers a new approach to prevent and treat neuropsychiatric disorders. This review discusses about the COX pathway and the role of COX-2 in the neuroinflammation. Furthermore, this review highlights the COX-2 inhibitors as a promising therapeutic agent in these neuropsychiatric disorders, however, further studies are required to assess appropriate illness stage-related indication.