Atypical antidepressants are unique from other classes of antidepressants based on pharmacological properties. These days, the most common antidepressants fit into one of a few categories: SSRIs/SNRIs, TCAs, and MAOIs. Respectively these are: selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclics (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). SSRIs and SNRIs are considered the …
When it comes to depression, most people are looking for a treatment that allows them to feel happier, while minimizing potential side effects. There are many antidepressants on the market, and while some may work slightly better than others, most research indicates that the efficacy among approved drugs is very similar. If you are looking …
Antidepressants are supposed to help treat depression, right? In cases where nothing else has worked for a person to manage their depression, an antidepressant is considered a clinically effective treatment option. Millions of people are put on antidepressants and in the United States, it is estimated that one out of every five people or so …
I’m not sure when pharmaceutical companies started marketing that a “chemical imbalance” is the cause of depression. Either way, this is a great marketing ploy that really gets people to believe that if they are feeling “depressed,” it must be a result of a natural chemical imbalance. In reality, most people do not likely have …
There is a newer class of antidepressant drugs called Triple Reuptake Inhibitors (TRI’s or SNDRI drugs) being developed that target all major neurotransmitters involved in depression: serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. The thought process behind the creation of this new class of triple reuptake inhibitors is that they will target all three major neurotransmitters that are thought …
Norepinephrine also sometimes referred to as “noradrenaline” works as both a hormone and neurotransmitter. It helps promote vigilant concentration and is different from dopamine in the fact that dopamine has a greater influence on cognition. When you become stressed, norepinephrine is secreted by the sympathetic nervous system which leads to an increased amount of heart …
Most people that are depressed end up trying antidepressants. One major problem associated with these medications is that while they may alleviate depression, they can cause people to gain a significant amount of weight. Due to the weight gain associated with SSRIs, people are searching for alternatives so that they don’t become fat from taking …