Drugs used to treat depression
There are different types of antidepressent drugs used to treat people depending on the severity of their depression. These types include Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors and Tricyclic antidepressants.
Of all the various types, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are the most commonly prescribed drugs. There is a newer class of drugs called SNRI which act on both serotonin and norepinephrine. These drugs are listed under the headline at the bottom of the page called other drugs used to treat depression.
SSRI Drugs - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors reduce the speed by which serotonin is reused by nerve cells. This leaves more serotonin for use by other nerve cells. SSRI drugs are the most commonly used drugs to treat depression. They tend to have less negative side effects than stronger drugs.
- Prozac - fluoxetine
- Paxil - paroxetine
- Zoloft - sertraline
- Celexa - citalopram
- Lexapro - escitalopram
- Luvox - fluvoxamine
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors - MAOI
Monamine Oxidase Inhibitors or MAOI treat depression by preventing the enzyme monoamine oxidase from metabolizing dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. Science has revealed a corelation between levels of these brain neurotranmitters and a person's mood.
- Nardil - Phenelzine
- Emsam - Selegiline
- Marplan - Isocarboxazid
- Parnate - Tranylcypromine
Tricyclic antidepressants
Tricyclic antidepressants or TCA inhibit the reuptake of norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine. These antidepressants are less selective about which cells they affect. Therefore they often have more side effects.
- Vivactil - Protriptyline
- Norpramin or Petrofrane - Desipramine
- Tofranil - Imipramine
- Sinequan or Adapin - Doxepin
- Surmontil - Trimipramine
- Pamelor or Aventyl - Nortriptyline
- Anafranil - Chlomipramine
- Elavil - Amitriptyline
Other drugs used to treat depression
- Wellbutrin - increases the amount of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain.
- Effexor - increases the amount of norepinephrine and serotonin.
- Remeron - increase the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine.
- Cymbalta - increase the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine.