Some Drugs That Combat Depression Work By?
Many drugs combat depression, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors.
The SSRIs are available as prescription medications under Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro, Paroxetine, and Zoloft. In addition, the SNRIs include desvenlafaxine (Khedezla), duloxetine (Cymbalta and Yentreve), and venlafaxine (Effexor).
Tetracyclic Antidepressants
Some drugs that combat depression work by increasing the brain’s supply of chemicals called norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin. However, they also affect many other neurotransmitters that communicate with nerve cells in the brain.
Tricyclic antidepressants, or TCAs, were among the first medications to treat depression. Still, they’re not as common as they once were. Instead, they’re mainly replaced by SSRIs, which may still be useful in certain cases.
Unlike SSRIs, TCAs, including norepinephrine, act on more receptors throughout the body. Unfortunately, this means they’re less selective than SSRIs, so they tend to have more side effects and a higher risk of overdose.
They can also be dangerous if taken in large amounts or combined with other drugs that affect serotonin levels. Hence, checking with your doctor before taking these drugs is important. They can also interact with certain medications for Parkinson’s disease, sedating medications, or treatments for heart rhythm disturbances.
Some people who use tricyclics experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop taking them or change their dose, so it’s important to stay on the prescribed dosage for as long as possible to minimize these effects. The symptoms may include nausea, headaches, dizziness, lethargy, fever, and vomiting. You should call your doctor right away if you experience severe withdrawal symptoms. Doctors often recommend gradually lowering your dose over time to minimize these effects.
Dopamine Reuptake Blockers
Some drugs that combat depression work by blocking the reuptake of neurotransmitters that affect mood, such as norepinephrine and dopamine. This results in more of these chemicals being available throughout the brain and may help improve symptoms.
These medications, called norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs), are typically safe and effective. As a result, they are often prescribed as an alternative to SSRIs and other common antidepressants, such as Prozac and Zoloft.
NDRIs treat various conditions, including clinical depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and narcolepsy. They are sometimes combined with another medication, naltrexone, an opioid antagonist. This combination helps regulate the dopamine reward system in the brain and reduces food cravings.
The drugs are also used to help people with addictions to cocaine, alcohol, or narcotics. Drugs like bupropion, nomifensine, benztropine, and mazindol inhibit dopamine reuptake without causing euphoria or other “high” effects.
Because NDRIs prevent the reuptake of certain neurotransmitters, they can cause some side effects. However, these usually resolve as the body adjusts to the medication. One of the most common side effects is sexual dysfunction. However, bupropion is known to have a lower propensity for this side effect than many other antidepressants.
Vilazodone
Vilazodone is a sulfonamide-based antidepressant that works by targeting the 5HT1A receptors in the brain. It also boosts the levels of serotonin in the brain, which may help relieve depression.
This medication is used to treat depression and anxiety in adults. It is usually taken once a day with food and should be continued for at least eight weeks.
When taken regularly, vilazodone is generally well-tolerated and can improve symptoms of depression quickly. However, it does not cure depression. It is important to continue taking it even when you feel good because it takes several weeks to work properly.
The usual starting dose is 10 mg daily for seven days. If needed, this dose can be raised to 20 or 40 mg daily. Do not increase your dose unless your doctor tells you to.
As with any drug, you should avoid using vilazodone if you have a history of seizures or other conditions that put you at risk of having seizures. You should also stop taking this medication if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
In clinical trials, vilazodone was found to favorably affect depressive symptoms in patients with anxious depression (HAMD17 anxiety subscale score>7) compared with those without anxiety. These results suggest that vilazodone can be an effective treatment option for most patients with MDD with prominent anxiety symptoms.
5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists
Antidepressants work by blocking the actions of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and emotional behavior. In addition, 14 5-HT receptor subtypes have been identified in the brain, and each is believed to contribute to specific behavioral effects5.
In some patients, decreased central serotonin tone is associated with depression4. Therefore, the action of certain drugs combating depression can be attributed to their ability to inhibit or block this process.
Several compounds that act as 5-HT3 antagonists have been developed and tested for various psychiatric and medical indications. The most established clinical use is in chemotherapy-induced emesis. Still, they can also be effective for irritable bowel syndrome and postoperative nausea and vomiting.
Several studies have examined the effect of different doses and regimens of ondansetron, a first-generation 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. Despite some trial design shortcomings, these studies suggest that ondansetron is as effective as granisetron in moderately emetogenic chemotherapy, with a slight improvement in the response rate with the addition of steroids.
The second-generation 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, palonosetron, is also used in cancer chemotherapy. Still, compared to first-generation agents, their pharmacological effects are less well-known. The extended half-life and increased affinity for the 5-HT3 receptor are important factors in the improved efficacy of palonosetron.
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) increase neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. These chemicals help a person feel good and alert. They also play a role in the body’s overall balance. As a result, they are useful for treating certain medical conditions, such as depression and Parkinson’s disease.
MAOIs are the oldest class of antidepressants. Doctors still prescribe them to treat patients who are unresponsive to newer, safer antidepressants. However, they can be dangerous and often interact with other drugs or foods.
These medications work by inhibiting monoamine oxidase, an enzyme that helps clean out chemicals called tyramine and serotonin from the liver, nerves, and muscles. Keeping these substances in the right amounts keeps neurotransmitters from becoming out of balance and leads to less depression.
In addition, MAOIs help keep a person’s blood pressure normal by not allowing tyramine to build up in the bloodstream. This can lead to high blood pressure and other serious health problems.
The most common MAOIs are dicarboxamide, phenelzine, and tranylcypromine. They are all irreversible MAO inhibitors, meaning they bind to and inactivate the enzyme. This requires the body to regenerate a fresh supply of monoamine oxidase enzymes, which can take up to two weeks.
MAOIs can cause side effects such as sedation and weight gain, so they should be taken with care. It’s important to track how many MAOIs you take each day and to talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
Mirtazapine
Mirtazapine is an antidepressant medication that increases the levels of serotonin and noradrenaline in the brain. These chemicals help your brain communicate properly and play an important mood role. This drug is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety.
You can take mirtazapine orally, usually once daily, and it’s absorbed quickly into the bloodstream. The medication’s peak plasma concentration is achieved within 2 hours.
It’s not a narcotic, so it’s unlikely to cause addiction. However, you may feel tired or dizzy while taking it, so it’s important to take it as directed by your doctor.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you are allergic to medications or other substances. Serious allergic reactions, including hives, rash, and swelling of the lips or tongue, can be life-threatening.
Your doctor should know about your other medicines, including vitamins and herbs. It’s also a good idea to let your doctor know about any medical problems you have, such as high or low blood pressure, kidney or liver disease, heart problems, and allergies to drugs or foods.
If you have any of these conditions, your doctor may change the dose or stop you from taking mirtazapine. In addition, if you have a history of seizures, your doctor should monitor you closely while using mirtazapine.
Suppose you’re using an MAO inhibitor, such as dicarboxamide, linezolid, or intravenous methylene blue, and stop taking mirtazapine. In that case, you must wait 14 days before using the MAO inhibitor again. This helps reduce your risk of a severe reaction called serotonin syndrome.
Some Drugs That Combat Depression Work By____________? Best Guide To Know
Depression is a common mental disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It is a complex condition often caused by genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. While the exact causes of depression are not yet fully understood, researchers have identified several neurotransmitters and other chemical substances in the brain that play a role in developing and treating the disorder.
Several different classes of drugs are commonly used to treat depression. These include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). While each of these drugs works slightly differently, they all share the goal of increasing the levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used to treat depression. They work by blocking the reuptake of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation. By blocking the reuptake of serotonin, SSRIs increase the amount of serotonin available in the brain, which can help to alleviate symptoms of depression.
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are another class of drugs commonly used to treat depression. Like SSRIs, SNRIs block the reuptake of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine. By increasing the availability of these neurotransmitters, SNRIs can help to improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression.
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are an older class of drugs that are less commonly used today due to their side effects. They work by blocking the reuptake of neurotransmitters, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. While TCAs effectively treat depression, they can also cause various side effects, including dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, and weight gain.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are another class of drugs used to treat depression. They work by inhibiting the activity of an enzyme called monoamine oxidase, which is responsible for breaking down neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. By inhibiting the activity of this enzyme, MAOIs increase the availability of these neurotransmitters, which can help to alleviate symptoms of depression.
In addition to these drugs, other medications are used to treat depression, including atypical antidepressants, such as bupropion and mirtazapine, and antipsychotics, such as quetiapine and aripiprazole. These drugs work by targeting different neurotransmitters and pathways in the brain that are involved in mood regulation.
Overall, the drugs used to treat depression target neurotransmitters and other chemical substances in the brain involved in mood regulation. While the exact mechanism of action of each drug may differ, they all aim to increase the levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, which can help alleviate symptoms of depression. It is important to note that while these drugs can be effective in treating depression, they can also cause a range of side effects and may not work for everyone. Therefore, it is always important to talk to a healthcare professional about the best treatment options for individual cases of depression.
