A serious mood disorder, depression causes patients to feel hopeless, helpless and worthless. The disorder causes a low mood and changes in behavior, such as altered sleep and eating patterns. The National Institute of Mental Health points out the most popular type of antidepressants for the mood disorder are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which affect serotonin levels of the brain. But for some types of depression, patients need a different type of medication. An option is an atypical antipsychotic, a type of medication that doctors use to treat schizophrenia.
Types
Several types of atypical antipsychotics exist for the treatment of depression, such as olanzapine, risperidone, ziprasidone, quetiapine, clozapine and aripiprazole. Some types of atypical antipsychotics come in forms other than a pill. For example, risperidone has a liquid form and the National Institute of Mental Health notes that aripiprazole also comes as a shot.
Purpose
Atypical antipsychotics may treat specific types of depression. The National Institute of Mental Health points out that these medications may help patients with psychotic depression, in which they have symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions. With a hallucination, the patient perceives something that does not exist, such as hearing voices that no one else hears. With the delusion, the patient holds a false belief to be true, such as someone trying to kill him. Patients with severe depression may also benefit from using atypical antipsychotics. Bipolar disorder patients may take an atypical antipsychotic for the depressive symptoms of the disorder.
Function
Atypical antipsychotics work by altering neurotransmitter levels. Larry Culpepper, MD, MPH, and Robert E. Rackel, MD, authors of the article "The Role of Atypical Antipsychotics in Depression in Primary Care," explain that atypical antipsychotics affect two neurotransmitters: dopamine and norepinephrine. For example, the effects that these medications have on dopamine may cause an improvement in sleep and eating.
Effectiveness
In a study that tested the effectiveness of olanzapine in depression, patients received either olanzapine, fluoxetine--a type of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor--or a combination of the two medications. Culpepper and Rackel point out that patients who had both medications did better on the Montgomery-Asberg for Depression Rating Scale than the other two groups; the patients taking both medications also did better on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement than patients taking olanzapine alone.
Side Effects
Atypical antipsychotics may cause some side effects in patients. For example, patients may experience weight gain, constipation, drowsiness and blurred vision. Dry mouth and sexual dysfunction may occur. The National Institute of Mental Health warns that the weight gain from atypical antipsychotics may increase the risk for high cholesterol and diabetes.
References
- Helpguide.org: Bipolar Medication Guide
- National Institute of Mental Health: Mental Health Medications
- "The Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychology"; The Role of Atypical Antipsychotics in Depression in Primary Care; Larry Culpepper, MD, MPH, and Robert E. Rackel, MD; 2003
- MedlinePlus Drug Information: Risperidone
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Depression
