3 ms·
We know the basic mechanism of action behind SSRIs, but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone that can tell you definitively why they can be effective. They are
by darpa_escapee 11y ago
We know the basic mechanism of action behind SSRIs, but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone that can tell you definitively why they can be effective.
They are some of the most prescribed drugs in America. They have a better safety profile than MAOIs, despite that the latter can be more effective in treating depression / anxiety.
- astazangasta 11y agoThere was a theory behind why SSRIs work that existed when they were developed (the serotonin theory of depression), but this theory was later shown to be wrong - basically, SSRIs do modulate serotonin but that has no relation to whether you are depressed; if SSRIs do work, its through another mechanism. In addition the efficacy is greatly overstated; large follow-up studies have shown that they only have measurable effects on the most severely depressed individuals. The vast majority of people being prescribed SSRIs do not fall in this category and likely receive no benefit beyond placebo.
- labster 11y agoThis, of course, highly depends on what your definition of "severely depressed" is. There are several standards whose ranges don't even overlap on the same scale. [1] Also consider that people who have moderate depression may have episodes that put them in the severe category, which we would like to treat effectively. [1]: http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/07/ssris-much-more-than-you-wanted-to-know/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/07/ssris-much-more-than-yo...