Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) News and Research

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Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) is a type of drug that is used to treat depression. SSRIs slow the process by which serotonin (a substance that nerves use to send messages to one another) is reused by nerve cells that make it. This increases the amount of serotonin available for stimulating other nerves. Also called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

Sertraline contributes to a modest improvement in core depression and anxiety symptoms

One of the most common antidepressants, sertraline, contributes to a modest improvement in core depression and anxiety symptoms, including low mood, within two weeks, finds a new analysis of a major clinical trial led by UCL researchers.

30 Oct 2025

Can saffron treat Alzheimer’s and depression?

Saffron shows promise as a natural treatment for depression and cognitive decline, performing as well as standard drugs in clinical trials. However, more rigorous studies are needed before saffron can be recommended in mainstream psychiatric and dementia care.

26 Jun 2025

Common antidepressant Fluoxetine protects from sepsis-induced death

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19 Feb 2025

Antidepressant fluoxetine found ineffective for early COVID-19 treatment

Findings reveal fluoxetine's weak antiviral effects in COVID-19, with no significant benefits in symptom resolution compared to other antiviral treatments.

22 Jan 2025

High dose psilocybin shows similar antidepressant effects to escitalopram

High doses of psilocybin - the active ingredient in magic mushrooms - appears to have a similar effect on depressive symptoms as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drug escitalopram, suggests a systematic review and meta-analysis published in The BMJ today.

21 Aug 2024

Menopause myths: Separating fact from fiction

Many women approach menopause with anxiety about the future. You've probably heard your grandmother, mother, or aunts lament about menopause, aka "the change," as a stressful time full of hot flashes, weight gain, and plummeting sex drive.

6 Aug 2024

Gut-friendly psychobiotics could brighten moods and fight depression

Review uncovers that psychobiotics may offer supportive treatment for depression by restoring gut microbiome balance and positively influencing the microbiome-gut-brain axis, which is crucial for mental health and well-being.

8 Apr 2024

Study reveals the emotional and social fallout of antidepressant discontinuation

Coming off antidepressants is known to trigger physical symptoms, such as restlessness, fatigue and excessive sweating, but new research suggests people can also experience emotional and social difficulties, and changes in their thinking patterns when they stop taking antidepressants like Prozac.

16 Jan 2024

Study finds among outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19, treatment with fluvoxamine does not reduce duration of symptoms

Researchers investigate the effects of high-dose fluvoxamine among patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.

22 Nov 2023

Study sheds light on seasonal trends in adolescent depression and antidepressant prescribing

Researchers determined seasonal patterns in primary care antidepressant prescribing and consultations for mental health issues in adolescents and young adults living in England, United Kingdom (UK).

6 Nov 2023

Trial evaluates purine P2X7 receptor antagonist JNJ-54175446 in patients with major depressive disorder

Researchers investigated the safety and pharmacokinetics of JNJ-54175446 in a double-blind, multicenter, randomized controlled trial (RCT).

31 Jul 2023

Are men or women impacted more by adverse reactions to prescription drug treatments?

Recently, researchers presented an overview of sex-based differences in adverse drug reactions (ADRs) based on epidemiology, technique, and underlying mechanism data.

11 Oct 2022

Magic mushroom compound helps to 'open up' depressed people's brains after use

Psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms, helps to "open up" depressed people's brains, even after use, enabling brain regions to talk more freely to one another.

11 Apr 2022

Study finds early fluvoxamine treatment among COVID-19 patients reduces hospitalization

A team of researchers conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, adaptive platform trial to evaluate the efficacy of fluvoxamine to prevent COVID-19 progression and hospitalization.

29 Oct 2021

Using fluvoxamine to treat COVID-19 patients reduces the need for prolonged hospitalization, trial shows

The results of a new randomized clinical trial, published in The Lancet Global Health, have demonstrated that using fluvoxamine to treat high-risk outpatients with early-diagnosed COVID-19 reduced the need for prolonged observation in an emergency setting or hospitalization, compared to a control group who received a placebo.

28 Oct 2021

Brain imaging may predict treatment outcomes for adolescents with anxiety disorders

As with any complex machine, sometimes a simple crossed wire or short circuit can cause problems with how it functions. The same goes for our brains, and even when the short circuit is uncovered, sometimes experts don't have a quick fix.

31 Mar 2021

New study to evaluate the effectiveness of drugs on preventing COVID-19 progression

McMaster University researchers are leading a large international study to test drugs to treat COVID-19 patients.

9 Feb 2021

Antidepressant fluoxetine (Prozac) suppresses replication of SARS-CoV-2

A study conducted by researchers at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg has shown that the antidepressant agent fluoxetine may be an effective drug for the early treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among at-risk groups.

16 Jun 2020

Unexpected mechanism of action found with sertraline

A new study on sertraline, which is one of the most popular drugs for depression and anxiety, shows that its efficacy is undoubted, but it operates primarily by reducing anxiety rather than depression.

23 Sep 2019

PET imaging agent may help predict effectiveness of depression treatment

A positron emission tomography imaging agent could show, ahead of time, whether a specific treatment is likely to be effective for major depressive disorder--a debilitating condition that affects more than 14 million Americans.

6 Apr 2018