According to new research, many antidepressants may not address the illness since they are used to treat an unfounded cause of depression. Based on the recent review of existing research, the chemical imbalance explanation of depression, which focuses on low serotonin levels, cannot be credibly supported.
A female scientist in a laboratory looks through a microscope.
Experts Explain Why Serotonin Chemical Imbalance Does Not Cause Depression
Serotonin is classified as a neurotransmitter, which means it is used by the body to communicate between nerve cells. Because it promotes well-being and pleasure, people occasionally refer to it as the happy chemical.
It was initially believed that most antidepressants, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), function by raising unusually low serotonin levels. However, the latest study, carried out by experts at University College London (UCL) and published in Molecular Psychiatry, reveals that depression is not likely caused by a chemical imbalance and puts into question what antidepressants do.
According to NHS data, there were 8.3 million patients receiving antidepressants in England in 2021-2022, a 6% increase from 7.9 million the previous year.
Between 85% and 90% of the general population believe that low serotonin levels or a chemical imbalance are to blame for depression. However, this does not appear to be the case, and patients should be informed of various depression treatment choices. The fields of addiction, eating disorders, and child and adolescent psychiatry have the highest frequencies of unfilled positions.
"It is always difficult to demonstrate the opposite." Joanna Moncrieff, a professor of psychiatry at UCL and the review's lead author, said. She believed that they could confidently state that despite extensive research conducted over many years, there is no convincing evidence that abnormalities in serotonin, particularly lower levels or reduced serotonin activity, are the causes of depression.
She said the prevalence of the chemical imbalance explanation of depression and the sharp rise in antidepressant usage are related.
Antidepressant side effects, such as the severe withdrawal symptoms that can happen when someone tries to stop taking them, affect thousands of people, yet prescription rates for the drugs keep rising.
The researchers think the myth has partly influenced this scenario that a chemical imbalance causes depression.
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Royal College of Psychiatrists Advice to Patients to Take Antidepressants
The Royal College of Psychiatrists still advised patients to take their prescribed medication.
According to a representative, prescriptions should be accessible to anybody who requires them. Based on the study, he said that they would not advise anyone to stop taking their antidepressants, and they encourage anyone with questions about their medication to contact their GP.
According to Professor Allan Young, director of the Institute of Psychiatry's Centre for Affective Disorders, the efficacy and acceptability of serotonergic antidepressants are well supported by the available data, which is the (undiscussed) the elephant in the room.
The medications are based on data from clinical trials that guide their use for patients. The review does not change that.
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