A List of Drugs for Depression

According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 20 million people in the U.S. have some form of depressive disorder. Everyone experiences a down or depressed mood now and then, but true depression is a serious mental illness and involves a chemical imbalance in the brain. Onset usually occurs between the ages of 15 and 30, and the condition is much more common in women. Antidepressants are an effective treatment for depression; there are several different drugs on the market.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI)

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that controls mood and appetite. With some forms of depression, the body reabsorbs serotonin before it reaches the receptors in the brain. SSRIs increase brain levels of serotonin by preventing reabsorption. According to Corey Nahman, Registered pharmacist in the Sate of New York, SSRIs are generally well tolerated. However, as with any drug, SSRIs do have side effects, including sexual side effects and weight gain. SSRIs also have the potential to interact with other drugs. There are several SSRIs on the market; Zoloft, Lexapro, Prozac and Paxil are the most common.

Tricyclic Antidepressants

Tricyclic antidepressants were first discovered in the 1950s. Tricyclics affect serotonin and norepinephrine--a stress hormone that affects alertness centers in the brain. These drugs are effective in combating depression but tend to have side effects such as drowsiness and are also associated with weight gain, dry mouth and constipation. Trcyclic antidepressants are also dangerous if taken in overdose. Because these drugs have been around since the 1950s, most have generic names including amitriptyline, desipramine and nortriptyline.

New Classes of Antidepressants

Drug companies are constantly developing new drug treatments for depression, and not all are easily classified. Some drugs work on serotonin and norepinephrine, such as tricyclics, but with fewer side effects. Effexor, Serzone and Cymbalta are common drugs of this type.
Other drugs work on norepinephrine and dopamine--a neurotransmitter linked to the motivation and reward system in a brain. These drugs are similar to SSRIs and some, like Wellbutrin, boast fewer sexual side effects than SSRIs.

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI)

Monoamine oxidase is an enzyme that has a role in the inactivation of neurotransmitters. These drugs have several side effects and dietary restrictions. For this reason, these drugs are often prescribed as a last result when other antidepressants have failed. Marplan, Nardila and Parnate are all MAOI drugs.