New drugs could spell quick fix for depression
From issue 2620 of New Scientist magazine, 08 September 2007, page 21
SNAPPING out of depression is easier said than done.
Antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can take several weeks to kick in, and for some patients there is an urgent need for a faster-acting drug. Now Guillaume Lucas at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and his team have found a class of antidepressants that reverse symptoms of depression in rats within days.
The drug, RS67333, works by binding to a receptor on the surface of brain cells and stimulating them to release more serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps control mood.
Rats with symptoms of depression returned to normal after just three days of injections with the drug, while those treated with a standard SSRI took two weeks to recover (Neuron, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2007.07.041).
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