Regular use of antidepressants promotes the growth of new cells in the hippocampus, an area of the brain where cells are known to waste away in people who are depressed, new research in rats has shown.
Researchers gave the following antidepressants to rats, with each drug representing a different class of antidepressant medication:
The researchers also treated rats with electroconvulsive seizure therapy and an antipsychotic drug.
In rats treated with an antidepressant for 2 to 4 weeks, the number of brain cells in the hippocampus increased 20% to 40%. After 2 to 4 weeks of electroconvulsive seizure therapy, the number of neurons increased by about 50%.
But it takes a while for the benefits of antidepressants on brain cell growth to begin, the report indicates. Neuron numbers did not increase in rats that were treated with an antidepressant for 1 to 5 days.
The antipsychotic drug did not have any effect on neurons in the hippocampus.
"We are focusing on how antidepressants do this," Dr. Duman said to Reuters Health, adding that if scientists can understand how the drugs promote cell growth, they may be able to develop new drugs that do an even better job.
The hippocampus is a portion of the brain that plays a role in learning, memory and mood.
The Journal of Neuroscience, December 15, 2000; 20:9104-9110
Does this mean they should never be used? Absolutely not. I must use them about once every month or two for patients in severe trouble, as an interim measure until we are able to sort through some causative factors that will improve the person in the long run.
Are the herbal antidepressants better? I tend not to use hebs like St. John's Wort as they, like the drugs, are only temporary band-aids, and I have found the drugs to be more consistently effective.
Ultimately tools like journaling, prayer , exercise and some of the modalities that we use in our office like DCA are what help the person resolve their health issue at a profoundly and more permanent level.
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