Depression is a debilitating mental illness that has a significant impact on an individual's
psychological, social, and physical life. Multiple factors, such as genetic factors and abnormalities
in neurotransmitter levels, contribute to the development of depression. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors,
tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotoninnoradrenaline
reuptake inhibitors, and atypical and new-generation antidepressants are well-known
drug classes. SSRIs are the commonly prescribed antidepressant medications in the clinic. Genetic
variations impacting serotonergic activity in people can influence susceptibility to diseases and response
to antidepressant therapy. Gene polymorphisms related to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) signaling
and subtypes of 5-HT receptors may play a role in the development of depression and the
response to antidepressants. SSRIs binding to 5-HT reuptake transporters help relieve depression
symptoms. Research has been conducted to identify a biomarker for detecting depressive disorders
to identify new treatment targets and maybe offer novel therapy approaches. The pharmacological
potentials of the piperazine-based compounds led researchers to design new piperazine derivatives
and to examine their pharmacological activities. Structure-activity relationships indicated that the
first aspect is the flexibility in the molecules, where a linker of typically a 2-4 carbon chain joins
two aromatic sides, one of which is attached to a piperazine/phenylpiperazine/benzyl piperazine
moiety. Newly investigated compounds having a piperazine core show a superior antidepressant
effect compared to SSRIs in vitro/in vivo.