What are antidepressant drugs and how do they work? In cases of depression where psychotherapy alone fail at treating the condition, people seek alternatives, often of which takes on the form of a pill. What many people fail at realising is that antidepressants are not panaceas. While they do relieve depression in some people, these prescription drugs carry risks and should only be taken under the supervision of a medical practitioner. The result of ingesting these antidepressants varies according to people’s age, severity of depression, and history of illness. Furthermore, it is important to watch out for possible drug interactions when taking antidepressants in conjunction with other medications.
Types of Antidepressants
Antidepressants are available in three main forms, they are: selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). The SSRIs are a form of antidepressants which includes drugs like Prozac and Zoloft, as implied by the name; they work through inhibition of the presynaptic serotonin transporter receptor. TCAs were introduced in the 1950s and works through prevention of the nerve cell’s ability to reuptake serotonin and norepinephrine, Elavil is an example of this form of antidepressant. Finally, we look at MAOIs, which are amongst the earliest form of antidepressants developed works through inhibition of monoaxine oxidase, an enzyme which plays a large role in the determination of one’s mood by its effect on neurotransmitters. The drugs Nardil and Parmate are commercially available examples of MAOIs.
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