could the anti-depressant industry in children and adolescents be a scam? A review of the evidence finds very low quality of evidence with > 56% of the studies being funded by the industry itself; can you say conflict of interest or potential bias? Review finds evidence only that fluoxetine is more effective than placebo in children and adolescents with depression.
amazingly, up to 20% of patents with depression do worse on anti-depressant therapy (SSRI). These are labeled non-responders, but when compared to placebo, the difference was significant. Maybe, we should check their neurotransmitters first?
Our current health care paradigm is failing us! 20% of women are on anti-depressants and 1 in 4 American women are on some psychiatric medicine. And we wonder why we are unhealthy?
Interesting study. They found a "significant reduction of T(3) after 15 and 30 days" with SSRI use, yet their conclusion is SSRI is safe in hypothyroid. The take is that part of the weight gain associated with SSRI use is through dysfunction of thyroid hormone production as the effects were also found with T4.
The benefits of anti-depressants in mild to moderate depression is no better than placebo. However, in severe depression and with increasing severity, anti-depressants are better than placebo.
estrogen administration has been found to increase tryptophan hydroxylase
5-HT2A mRNA levels in brain areas relevant for the control of mood, mental state and cognition (Sumner and Fink, 1998) and 5-HTT mRNA when administered for a longer period
n the other hand, estrogen treatment has also been observed to decrease mRNA related to serotonergic neurotransmission
Furthermore, acute estrogen administration decreases 5-HTT mRNA levels (Pecins-Thompson et al., 1998) and 5-HT1A mRNA levels and binding
assigning the effects of estrogen on serotonin to a homogenous functional class of stimulation or inhibition seems not to be feasible
Progesterone has been suggested to increase serotonergic neurotransmission via the regulation of the expression of serotonin-related genes and proteins
menopausal women gain less benefit from antidepressant treatments compared to women during their reproductive years