Researchers shed light on how different SSRI antidepressants may work to help fight symptoms of depression in the brain.
The placebo effect combined with dopamine levels can determine whether symptoms of depression and social anxiety will improve in patients prescribed SSRI antidepressants. Researchers found the positive effect of the medications was four times higher in patients with high expectations the treatment would work compared to those with lower expectations.
Fluoxetine, the antidepressant commonly known as Prozac, may be beneficial for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. Researchers found Prozac significantly slowed the rate at which people over 50 developed AMD.
Prozac reduced polyunsaturated fatty acid lipid concentrations in the brains of juvenile macaque monkeys.
Serotonin and SSRIs like Prozac can have a major effect on gut bacteria. When exposed to serotonin, specific gut bacteria grew to higher levels. However, when exposed to SSRIs, the bacterium grew to much lower levels in mouse models.
Numerous studies have linked controlled psychedelics to improvements in mental health conditions such as depression and PTSD. In March, the FDA approved Esketamine as a treatment for depression. However, with much stigma surrounding psychedelics, researchers question how many patients would take psychedelic medications if prescribed to them. According to a new study, 40% of people with no experience of psychedelics would be unlikely to take the prescription due to fears of 'brain damage' or a 'bad trip'.
Fluoxetine rearranges nerve fibers in the hippocampus of mice, a new study reports.
SSRI antidepressants, such as Prozac and Paxil, interact with opioid medications to make them less effective at providing relief from chronic pain. Tramadol relies on activation of the CYP2D6 enzyme to control pain, but SSRIs inhibit this enzyme. Researchers suggest prescribing different classes of antidepressants which do not suppress the enzyme may benefit those in need of opioid medications. Alternatively, non-opioid pain killers should be considered for those who can not switch from SSRIs.
A new study in mice reveals a possible link between the use of SSRI antidepressants during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism-like symptoms in offspring. Offspring exposed to fluoxetine (Prozac) in utero were more likely to exhibit impaired neurotransmission caused by an overactive serotonin receptor in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain implicated in modulating social behaviors. However, treating the mice with a compound that blocks the receptor alleviated the behavioral problems and improved working memory.
A new study reports male songbirds sing less to females during courtship if they have been exposed to low levels of SSRI antidepressants.
Researchers have identified a mechanism that could help explain how ketamine helps relieve symptoms of depression.
Researchers analyse the role serotonin plays in reward and learning.
