Do anti-depressant medications work the way they are supposed to?

The science behind commonly used anti-depressants appears to be backwards

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The science behind commonly used anti-depressants appears to be backwards says Mc Master University researchers

The science behind many anti-depressant medications appears to be backwards, say the authors of a paper that challenges the prevailing ideas about the nature of depression and some of the world’s most commonly prescribed medications.

“We are taking people who are suffering from the most common forms of depression, and instead of helping them, it appears we are putting an obstacle in their path to recovery” said lead author Paul Andrews, assistant professor of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour at McMaster University.

Sources and more information

  • The science behind commonly used anti-depressants appears to be backwards, McMaster University, February 17, 2015.
  • Is serotonin an upper or a downer? The evolution of the serotonergic system and its role in depression and the antidepressant response, ScienceDirect, doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.01.018, 24 January 2015.

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