How antidepressants work

If you're wondering what to choose when you buy online the antidepressants, the advice is simple: you should always go for the one that will work best for you. There are a few different types of antidepressants working in a slightly different way for the patient and elicit a different response. Our brain is a complex system that contains about 10 billion cells, each with more than 25 000 connections to other cells to get messages. Depression is often attributed to an imbalance of neurotransmitters - chemicals which ensure that the message is sent successfully. The largest groups of available antidepressants include inhibitors of the reuptake of serotonin, monoamine oxidase inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants.

The serotonin reuptake inhibitors are designed to increase the amount of serotonin in the synapse by preventing its reabsorption by the cell. A synapse is a small space between two cells crossed by the signal using a neurotransmitter, which is then reabsorbed by the sending cell. The action of serotonin reuptake inhibitors is specific to serotonin, which allows using these antidepressants with fewer side effects which are also less unpleasant.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors were among the first antidepressant developed. They act by inhibiting an enzyme called monoamine oxidase, which breaks down neurotransmitters responsible for in your mood, noradrenaline and serotonin. Inhibitors of monoamine oxidase may not the first drugs of choice because of their potentially fatal interactions with other drugs and many dietary restrictions and side effects that must be monitored carefully.

Tricyclic antidepressants Act by inhibiting the ability of the nerve cell of the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. As a result, nerve cells have more of these two substances to use passing signals. The disadvantage of the use of tricyclic antidepressants is that they can not be used by patients with a specific type of medical history and cause a number of undesirable side effects.

There are also other antidepressants that do not fall into one of these categories and work in their unique way of inhibiting the reuptake of certain neurotransmitters and giving other benefits for the patient. Each of these antidepressants on the market increases the levels of specific neurotransmitters in the brain, which will happen in slightly different parts of the brain. Needs of each individual drug are different when it comes to antidepressants, because each problem as it is individual.

23 Apr 2014