SSRI Risks Could Limit Depression Drug Market

Leading depression drug makers such as Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Eli Lilly may face further scrutiny following the release of a new report stating that SSRI treatment increases suicidal tendencies in youths. While the report was keen to stress the positive risk/benefit ratio of the treatment, the suicidality data will no doubt cause alarm, further impacting upon the depression market.

See more on SSRI Risks Could Limit Depression Drug Market.

Ads For SSRIs Called Misleading

Consumer ads for SSRIs often claim that depression is due to a chemical imbalance in the brain, and that SSRIs correct this imbalance, but these claims are not supported by scientific evidence, say researchers in PLoS Medicine.

Although scientists in the 1960s suggested that depression may be linked to low brain levels of the chemical serotonin (the so-called "serotonin hypothesis"), contemporary research has failed to confirm the hypothesis, they say.

The scientific literature openly admits that the serotonin hypothesis remains unconfirmed and that there is "a growing body of medical literature casting doubt on the serotonin hypothesis," which is not reflected in the consumer ads.

See the original research paper.

Comment: no wonder most SSRIs have been shown to be only slightly more effective than placebos.

Almost Any Exercise Helps Depression

The millions of Americans stricken each year by debilitating depression may want to consider running away from their problem -- or walking, swimming or dancing it away.

Read full article on new research into exercise for depression.

Depression, Diabetes, and Heart Attack

People with type 2 diabetes and even minor depression are at greater risk of heart attack.

A new study in Diabetes Care shows people with type 2 diabetes have a higher death rate if they were depressed over a three-year period. The higher death rates were seen in patients with  both minor and major depression.

More on depression, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.