Arginine-vasopressin in the management of brain disorders: recent advancement and future perspective

Arginine‑vasopressin (AVP) is a nonapeptide that influences learning, pain perception, memory, cardiovascular regulation, social behavior, and stress response. The vasopressin receptors occur in different types of G-protein-coupled receptors i.e., V1a, V1b, and V2. The potential pharmacological effects can be attributed to the distribution and density of VP receptors. The presence of AVP and its corresponding receptors have been observed in several brain regions responsible for controlling cardiovascular functions, pain perception, emotional responses, stress susceptibility, learning, memory, and cognitive processes. These receptors have been identified in neurons, blood vessels, glial cells, within these brain regions. AVP has innervation patterns that overlap with those of other brain regions, often leading to concurrent activation and cellular level interactions. The identification of AVP components has been observed in several brain regions, including the forebrain (cortex, hypothalamus, and circumventricular organs), as well as the midbrain and hindbrain. Research has demonstrated that AVP has distinct patterns of activity in response to stress, anxiety, depression, as well as in several neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, autism, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia.