It's impossible to understand how antidepressants work without a clear understanding of the functions of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are released in the brain. They enable impulses from one nerve cell to pass to another...
Dopamine is a type of chemical known as a neurotransmitter, which is produced naturally in the brain to help ensure proper brain function. Sometimes dopamine production or activity becomes dysfunctional, in which case treatment with supplements or...
Antidepressants are the medicine of choice when treating depression, though they are not all the same. Each type of antidepressant acts on a different neurotransmitter, which affects how the patient's body reacts. The Mayo Clinic states that...
Depression is a disorder in which an individual has major depressive episodes that include symptoms such as loss of interest and pleasure in hobbies or work, sadness, weight changes, and trouble sleeping. Several medications are available for...
Cymbalta is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, or SNRI. This type of antidepressant affects the levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine by inhibiting their re-absorption in the brain. Many other drugs...
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that regulates movement, emotional response and the ability to feel pleasure and pain. When dopamine is secreted from the presynaptic neuron, it moves into the frontal lobe and regulates the flow of information from...
There are several medications available for treating depression. Medications serve to improve symptoms and in many cases attempt to replace chemicals in the brain that are not balanced, thus causing the symptoms. Antidepressants are the general...
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, or a chemical that helps brain cells communicate with one another. Its specific function is to regulate attention, memory, pleasure, reward and motor functions. Dopamine levels that are too low can lead to mental...
Antidepressants are known to cause weight gain: the Mayo Clinic notes that tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), three types of antidepressants, can result in weight...
Frontotemporal dementia, a type of dementia that occurs in the front part of the brain, affects between 140,000 to 350,000 people, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance. Patients with frontotemporal dementia have changes to their personality,...
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, causes problems with sustaining attention and controlling impulses and activity level. Symptoms of ADHD can start during childhood and continue into adulthood. Some patients manage their symptoms...
In order for an antidepressant medication to be marketed in the United States, it must receive approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. This usually follows extensive clinical trials in which people suffering from depression take the...
Medications change moods for people with depression by altering brain chemistry. The correct medication depends on the patient and the condition. Some patients may take more than one medication. A medication can take several weeks to reach its...
Speed drugs are classified as methamphetamines. They are highly addictive central nervous system stimulants. Speed drugs release excess amounts of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that stimulates brain cells to induce a feeling of euphoria,...
Depression is a common mental health problem that is often treated by a class of medication called serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Examples of SSRIs include fluoxetine--Prozac--and sertraline--Zoloft. This group of medications...
Antidepressants usually work well at improving moods for patients with depression and anxiety disorders. Medications may take several weeks before patients experience the full effects. Sometimes changes in dosage or medications become necessary to...
Anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressant medication help treat people with different anxiety disorders. Some drugs that work effectively for patients may have the side effect of sexual dysfunction. Readjusting the dosage or switching to other...
Newer antidepressants have fewer side effects than earlier medications, and doctors tend to prescribe them first, although some patients still find the older drugs more effective. Some side effects can occur with any antidepressant, and doctors...
Psychiatrists prescribe both Paxil, or paroxetine hydrochloride, and Wellbutrin, or bupropion, to treat depression. Paxil is also approved to treat obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety...
The Epilepsy Foundation states that each year, 300,000 people have their first seizure, a brain condition in which patients have abnormal electrical activity. When a seizure interferes with the brain's electrical activity, it disrupts normal...
A variety of prescription antidepressant drugs are available to treat depression and anxiety disorders. While these drugs are highly effective in treating depression, they are often associated with side effects such as headaches, weight gain and...
Anxiety medications bring about significant relief for patients and may even rid them of anxiety problems. However, like most medication, drugs for anxiety treatment have side effects. Many of the symptoms disappear over time or can be reduced...
Previously believed to be a disorder that affected children, attention deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD) disorder also affects adults. Symptoms can include impulsive behavior, inattentiveness and agitation. Adults...
Psychiatrists prescribe both Effexor and Wellbutrin to treat major depression. Effexor also has Food and Drug Administration approval to treat generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety and panic disorder. These drugs work in a similar way but...
Bupropion, the drug contained in Wellbutrin, treats depression. It can cause many bothersome side effects and also carries some serious, though rare, risks. Most people tolerate Wellbutrin well, although RxList reports that about 10 percent of...
Some patients treated with antidepressants experience only partial improvement. If depression does not improve with monotherapy--single drug treatment--doctor sometimes recommend using two or more medications. A study examining Sequenced...
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that facilitates transmission of signals between brain cells, or neurons, by binding to neuron receptors. The chemical is involved in controlling emotions, pleasure, movement and incoming information. The...
If you are depressed, you may choose to use an antidepressant to manage your symptoms, but these medications are not without their side effects. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality notes that more than 60 percent of patients using a...
Antidepressants work successfully to treat depression and anxiety disorders for many patients. The drugs may affect neurotransmitters, message carriers in the brain, to balance mental health and improve moods. Like other medications,...
