Atypical Antidepressants
Despite the lack of scientific advancements since the first SSRI hit the market in the late 1980s, novel antidepressants are beginning to see the light of day - Ashley Chiara PharmD
image by: Cranimals
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Keeping an eye on novel developments in the antidepressant pipeline
Aside from developing novel mechanisms, drug developers are getting creative by combining existing antidepressants with other chemical entities to build off the benefits of current therapies...
Possibly the most streamlined approach being taken by drug developers is utilizing existing therapies for other indications and exploring their effectiveness for treating depression...
Taking creativity and ingenuity a step further, entities classically known as psychedelics are being explored for their antidepressant effects. Most notably, the serotonergic and glutaminergic properties of the hallucinogen psilocybin have been studied in small clinical trials of patients with MDD.
Resources
Ketamine, psilocybin and ecstasy are coming to the medicine cabinet
From expanding minds to healing brains.
Atypical Antidepressants
Atypical antidepressants are defined as any of the medications that don’t fit neatly into antidepressant categories (SSRI or SNRI).
Trazodone: Antidepressant, sleeping pill or both?
Although trazodone was designed to treat depression and anxiety disorders, the medication is now widely prescribed as a nighttime sleep aid for patients who suffer from acute insomnia.
Keeping an eye on novel developments in the antidepressant pipeline
Unlike many costly speciality medications and gene therapies requiring diligent financial forecasting, antidepressants do not fit the typical description of a “high-cost” drug class. However, because depressive disorders affect millions of Americans, high medical and non-medical costs occur.
Mirtazapine (Efficacy)
Mirtazapine is a tetracyclic antidepressant analogous to mianserin. It belongs to the group of the atypical antidepressants and is classified as a specific noradrenergic and serotonergic antidepressant (NaSSA). Its mechanism of action is to increase noradrenergic and serotonergic neurotransmission at the level of the central nervous system (CNS).
Atypical Antidepressants
Diagram...
Examples
Throughout history, there have been antidepressants that don’t necessarily fit the protocol to fit within a classification – these drugs are referred to as being “atypical.”
GoodRx
Atypical antidepressants are used to treat depression, anxiety, and aid in smoking cessation. They work by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain to elevate mood and decrease nicotine cravings.
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