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SSRIs

·May 30, 2025·4 min read

SSRIs Restore Brain Function in Alzheimer’s

A new study suggests that SSRIs, commonly prescribed antidepressants, may reduce biological markers of Alzheimer’s disease. In a cohort of 191 individuals, AD patients on SSRIs had lower levels of plasma phosphorylated tau-181, a key indicator of disease severity.

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·May 7, 2025·8 min read

SSRI Exposure in the Womb May Rewire Brain Circuits

New research suggests that prenatal exposure to SSRIs may alter brain development in ways that increase the risk of depression and anxiety later in life. Using mice and human data, scientists found that early-life SSRI exposure heightened activity in brain fear circuits, a pattern not observed in offspring of depressed mothers who did not take SSRIs.

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·September 22, 2024·7 min read

Psilocybin Shows Greater Long-Term Benefits Over SSRI for Depression

A study comparing psilocybin to the SSRI escitalopram found both drugs improved depressive symptoms similarly over six months, but psilocybin offered additional psychosocial benefits. Patients taking psilocybin reported a greater sense of meaning, psychological connectedness, and improved social functioning. These results suggest psilocybin could provide a more holistic treatment option for depression, addressing both symptoms and overall well-being. While promising, psilocybin remains experimental and is only administered in controlled environments.

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·June 6, 2024·4 min read

How Antidepressants Treat Major Depression

Researchers have developed a new framework explaining how antidepressants, like SSRIs, treat major depressive disorder (MDD) by restoring brain connectivity rather than correcting a serotonin imbalance. Their findings emphasize the continued importance of these medications despite shifting public opinion. This new understanding could improve patient-clinician conversations about depression treatment.

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·May 31, 2024·3 min read

SSRIs Reveal New Potential Beyond Depression Treatment

A new study uncovers a key biological process targeted by SSRIs, suggesting new clinical applications. The study found that SSRIs affect membrane trafficking in cells, which might explain their broader effects. Remarkably, a single dose of fluvoxamine in mice enabled drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier. This discovery could lead to SSRIs aiding in the delivery of drugs for conditions like dementia.

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·February 16, 2024·3 min read

Antidepressants Impact Brain Development

Using antidepressants during pregnancy, specifically fluoxetine (found in Prozac and Sarafem), can significantly affect a child's brain development, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, potentially increasing the risk of mental health disorders later in life. The research highlights how serotonin, boosted by fluoxetine, directly impacts the development of synaptic connections in the prefrontal cortex, a critical area for high-order cognitive functions.

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·August 29, 2023·6 min read

Treating Mom’s Postnatal Depression with SSRIs Also Boosts Child Behavior

A new study found that treating postnatal depression with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) benefits not just mothers but also their children. The study, which analyzed data from over 61,000 mothers and their children, shows that SSRI treatment led to better outcomes up to five years after childbirth.

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·January 23, 2023·5 min read

Study Explains Emotional ‘Blunting’ Caused by Common Antidepressants

SSRI antidepressants can make users less sensitive to rewards, resulting in emotional blunting many users experience. The findings provide new evidence for the role serotonin plays in reinforcement learning.

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·January 18, 2023·4 min read

How Serotonin Genes and SSRIs Can Contribute to Heart Valve Disease

Taking SSRIs and having the "long-long" serotonin SERT genetic variant lowers SERT activity in the mitral valve, leading to degenerative mitral regurgitation, one of the most common heart valve diseases.

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·December 28, 2022·4 min read

Good and Bad Feelings for Brain Stem Serotonin

A newly identified serotonin pathway that originates from the median raphe nucleus acts in opposition to the reward/aversion pathway in the nearby dorsal raphe nucleus. The findings could pave the way for the development of new treatments for major depression, addiction, and other disorders associated with serotonin.

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·December 16, 2022·5 min read

Inflammation May Explain Antidepressants’ Link to Preterm Birth

The common antidepressant Prozac (fluoxetine) provokes an inflammatory response in the amniotic sac. The findings may reveal the underlying factor of why women who take SSRI antidepressants are at higher risk of preterm birth.