 |
|
Prozac's target revealed
May 16, 2006Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island have identified which among several different kinds of cells in the brain is the chief target of the widely prescribed antidepressant Prozac. This discovery might enable a new generation of more specific treatments for depression, with fewer side effects, to be developed.
The findings also lay the foundation for many studies of the factors that control how, when, and where new neurons are generated from stem cells in the brain. Such work could eventually lead to cell replacement therapies for neurodegenerative and other brain disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
It has been known for some years that Prozac (fluoxetine) is likely to relieve the symptoms of depression by somehow causing more neurons to be present in a particular region of the brain (the "dentate gyrus"). But the origins of these neurons, and how Prozac promotes their existence, have been a mystery until now.
By profiling the telltale marker proteins produced by different kinds of cells in the brains of adult mice, the researchers first defined discrete steps in the complex process, called neurogenesis, that converts unspecialized stem cells into mature, specialized neurons.
Next, knowing that Prozac treatment somehow increases the number of neurons in the brain, the researchers tested which step in the neurogenesis pathway might be stimulated by Prozac. They found that Prozac treatment specifically stimulates the generation of a kind of cells they dubbed "amplifying neural progenitors" or ANPs-the second step in the neurogenesis pathway from stem cells to mature neurons. (Illustration available on request)
The study is published in the published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (advance on-line this week, in print on May 23). It was led by Grigori Enikolopov and spearheaded by postdoctoral fellow Juan Manuel Encinas.
To address the controversy surrounding the use of Prozac in children and in pregnant women, Enikolopov's group is currently testing the effects of the drug on brain neurogenesis in juvenile and pregnant mice. The results of those experiments may provide valuable information for assessing the possible effects of Prozac and related drugs on fetal and adolescent brain development.
The researchers are currently using the approach and tools they've developed to explore whether other treatments for depression-including other drugs and deep brain stimulation-act in the same way as Prozac or in different ways. In addition, the scientists are screening for new drugs that expand the production of brain neurons by stimulating ANP cells to multiply.
In collaboration with NASA researchers, experiments are also under way at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to assess how neurogenesis in the adult brain might be influenced by long-term, Mission-to-Mars levels of exposure to a particular kind of damaging radiation that's prevalent in space.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
By profiling the telltale marker proteins produced by different kinds of cells in the brains of adult mice, the researchers first defined discrete steps in the complex process, called neurogenesis, that converts unspecialized stem cells into mature, specialized neurons.
Next, knowing that Prozac treatment somehow increases the number of neurons in the brain, the researchers tested which step in the neurogenesis pathway might be stimulated by Prozac. They found that Prozac treatment specifically stimulates the generation of a kind of cells they dubbed "amplifying neural progenitors" or ANPs-the second step in the neurogenesis pathway from stem cells to mature neurons. (Illustration available on request)
The study is published in the published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (advance on-line this week, in print on May 23). It was led by Grigori Enikolopov and spearheaded by postdoctoral fellow Juan Manuel Encinas.
To address the controversy surrounding the use of Prozac in children and in pregnant women, Enikolopov's group is currently testing the effects of the drug on brain neurogenesis in juvenile and pregnant mice. The results of those experiments may provide valuable information for assessing the possible effects of Prozac and related drugs on fetal and adolescent brain development.
The researchers are currently using the approach and tools they've developed to explore whether other treatments for depression-including other drugs and deep brain stimulation-act in the same way as Prozac or in different ways. In addition, the scientists are screening for new drugs that expand the production of brain neurons by stimulating ANP cells to multiply.
In collaboration with NASA researchers, experiments are also under way at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to assess how neurogenesis in the adult brain might be influenced by long-term, Mission-to-Mars levels of exposure to a particular kind of damaging radiation that's prevalent in space.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Prozac Current Events and Prozac News RSSHunting for the Prozac Gene
Prozac works wonders for some depressed people, but not for others. In some cases, patients derive little benefit and at worst, it can lead to bizarre hallucinations and fits of rage.
Study reveals an increase in long-term antidepressant drug use
A dramatic rise in antidepressant prescriptions issued by GPs has been caused by a year on year increase in the number of people taking antidepressant drugs on a long-term basis, according to researchers from the University of Southampton.
New mouse model of depression/anxiety enhances understanding of antidepressant drugs
A recent study finds that the antidepressant effects of drugs like Prozac involve both neurogenesis-dependent and -independent mechanisms, a finding that may lead to development of better treatments for depression and anxiety.
Not Just for Depression Anymore
Prozac is regularly prescribed to ease the emotional pain of patients who are being treated for cancer. But can this common anti-depressant help to fight cancer itself?
Potential new targets for antidepressant medications
The news about antidepressant medications over the past several years has been mixed. The bad news from large multicenter studies such as STAR*D is that current antidepressant medications are effective, but not as effective as one might hope. Thus, there is a significant need for new treatment mechanisms for depression.
Antidepressants may impair driving ability, new research finds
People taking prescription antidepressants appear to drive worse than people who aren't taking such drugs, and depressed people on antidepressants have even more trouble concentrating and reacting behind the wheel.
Antidepressants enhance neuronal plasticity in the visual system
In the April 18 issue of Science, scientists from the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, Italy and the Neuroscience Centre at the University of Helsinki, Finland, provide new information about the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs.
Treating SSRI-Resistant Depression
When your antidepressant medication does not work, should you switch to a different medication from the same class or should you try an antidepressant medication that has a different mechanism of action? This is the question asked by researchers in a new report scheduled for publication in Biological Psychiatry on April 1st.
Comparison of venlafaxine and SSRIs in the treatment of depression
There are numerous antidepressant medications currently on the market, but sadly, many patients still experience the debilitating symptoms of depression even with treatment.
As depression symptoms improve with antidepressants, hopelessness can linger
People taking medication for depression typically see a lot of improvements in their symptoms during the first few months, but lagging behind other areas is a sense of hopefulness, according to new research from the University of Michigan Health System.
More Prozac Current Events and Prozac News Articles
 |
Listening to Prozac: The Landmark Book About Antidepressants and the Remaking of the Self, Revised Edition by Peter D. Kramer (Author) A noted psychiatrist examines the current status of Prozac in America, including the latest research, as well as personal observations into how and why this drug has become so popular in the quest to cure personality problems. Reprint. Tour." |
 |
Prozac Nation (Movie Tie-In) by Elizabeth Wurtzel (Author) A memoir of sex, drugs, and depression indicts an overmedicated America as it chronicles the fortunes of a Harvard-educated child of divorce who lived in the fast lane as a music critic, always fighting her chronic depression. Tour. |
 |
Anxietol 7 (60 Caps) - Reduces Symptoms of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression. by Medabiotics Laboratories If you've answered yes to one or more of the questions above... You may be experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression. Now you can regain control of your life with Nonprescription Anxietol 7. Anxietol 7 is an 100% all natural product that effectively addresses the diverse and debilitating symptoms of STRESS, ANXIETY, and DEPRESSION. Anxietol 7 is not a prescription antidepressant like Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Wellbutrin and Effexor. Anxietol 7 designed to treat you safely and naturally without the worries you may find with prescription medications and their unwanted side effects. Clinically Proven Ingredients. Suntheanine and Sensoril represent just two of the vitally important natural ingredients contained in the Anxietol 7 proprietary formula. What separates Anxietol 7 from other... |
 |
Prozac Diary by Lauren Slater (Author) A dazzling and powerful account of a life profoundly altered by Prozac-- "surely among the best on the long-term effects of the drug" (The New York Times) In 1988, at age 26, Lauren Slater lived alone in a basement apartment in Cambridge, depressed, suicidal, unemployed. Ten years later, she is a psychologist running her own clinic, an award-winning writer, and happily married. The transformation in her life was brought about by Prozac. Prozac Diary is Lauren Slater's incisive account of a life restored to productivity, creativity, and love. When she wakes up one morning and finds that her demons no longer have a hold on her, Slater struggles with the strange state of being well after a lifetime of craziness. Yet this is no hymn to a miracle pharmaceutical. It is a frankly... |
 |
Prozac Backlash: Overcoming the Dangers of Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and Other Antidepressants with Safe, Effective Alternatives by Joseph Glenmullen (Author) Roughly 28 million Americans -- one in every ten -- have taken Prozac, Zoloft, or Paxil or a similar antidepressant, yet very few patients are aware of the dangers of these drugs, nor are they aware that better, safer alternatives exist. Now Harvard Medical School's Dr. Joseph Glenmullen documents the ominous long-term side effects associated with these and other serotonin-boosting medications. These side effects include neurological disorders, such as disfiguring facial and whole-body tics that can indicate brain damage; sexual dysfunction in up to 60 percent of users; debilitating withdrawal symptoms, including visual hallucinations, electric shock-like sensations in the brain, dizziness, nausea, and anxiety; and a decrease of antidepressant effectiveness in about 35 percent of... |
 |
Potatoes Not Prozac: Solutions for Sugar Sensitivity by Kathleen DesMaisons (Author) You're not lazy, self-indulgent, or undisciplined. Many people who suffer from sugar sensitivity don't even know it -- and they continue to consume large quantities of sweets, breads, pasta, or alcohol. These foods can trigger exhaustion or low self-esteem, yet their biochemical impact makes those who are sugar sensitive crave them even more. This vicious cycle can continue for years, leaving sufferers overweight, fatigued, depressed, and sometimes alcoholic. Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons came up with the solution and published it in her revolutionary book Potatoes Not Prozac. It gave you the tools needed to overcome sugar dependency, including self-tests and a step-by-step, drug-free program with a customizable diet designed to change your brain chemistry. But now, armed with a decade of... |
 |
Prozac Nation Starring: Christina Ricci, Jason Biggs, Anne Heche, Michelle Williams, Jonathan Rhys Meyers Directed By: Erik Skjoldbjærg Award winners Christina Ricci (CURSED, MONSTER) and Jessica Lange (BIG FISH, ROB ROY) star in this emotionally charged true story about a journey into excess! When talented young writer Elizabeth Wurtzel (Ricci) earns a scholarship to Harvard, she sees it as her chance to escape the pressures of her working-class background and concentrate on her true talent. But what starts out so promising leads to self-destructive behavior and paralyzing depression that reflects an entire generation's struggle to navigate the effects of divorce, drugs, sex, and high expectations. Based on the best-selling autobiographical novel, PROZAC NATION also stars Michelle Williams (THE STATION AGENT), Anne Heche (JOHN Q), Jason Biggs (JERSEY GIRL), and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM). |
 |
Mood Sync® Serotonin Link 60 capsules by Pain & Stress Center Products Mood Sync is more effective than SAMe because it creates needed neurotransmitters in the brain. Mood Syncs special formula contains: Tyrosine, an amino acid, that provides dopamine and norepinephrine. GABA, the anxiety amino acid. Glutamine, a major inhibitory neurotransmitter. Taurine, an amino acid, needed by body in times of stress. 5-HTP is The Serotonin Link.® B6, the cofactor that activates amino acids. Mood Sync was researched and developed by Dr. Billie Sahley for todays stressful life-style. Feel better, think better, live better with Mood Sync. Serotonin is the master neurotransmitter and major influence on mind, mood, memory, and behavior. Serotonin decreases the craving for carbohydrates and helps us keep a positive mood. |
 |
Talking Back To Prozac: What Doctors Aren't Telling You About Today's Most Controversial Drug by Peter Breggin (Author) Millions of Americans are on it to treat everything from serious depression to shyness, obesity, PMS, and back pain. They've been told it has few, or no, side effects. But what is the dark side of Prozac? Has the FDA told you everything it knows about the drug's potentially dangerous side effects? What essential facts must you have if you are already taking Prozac, or are considering taking it? Find out: -What Prozac's label won't tell you -The truth about serious and life-threatening reactions -Cases of sexual dysfunction from Prozac, particularly in men -If Prozac can lead to violence, murder, or suicide -The panic and anxiety Prozac can cause-not cure -What Prozac has in common with cocaine and amphetamines |
 |
Natural Prozac: Learning to Release Your Body's Own Anti-Depressants by Joel C. Robertson (Author) Scientifically proven and easy to follow, Dr Joel Robertson’s groundbreaking lifestyle program makes a significant advance in treating and overcoming depression and its debilitating effects without drugs. With more than 21 million people now using Prozac and other anti-depressants worldwide, this book comprises an enormous breakthrough: an all-natural method anyone can use to regain control of their physical and emotional health. Robertson, an expert in pharmacology and brain chemistry, has been using this method with remarkable success for more than twenty years. His approach uses the body’s own natural chemistry to restore the brain’s chemical balance and end the dangerous cycle of negative thought patterns and behaviour that cause depression to recur. With detailed instructions... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |