Fast-Acting Depression Drug Eases Symptoms in HoursDecember 15, 2012
An experimental drug is able to rapidly improve the symptoms of depression in people who haven't responded to previous therapies, although the benefits are short-lived, a new study says.
People who took the experimental drug, known as AZD6765, showed improvements in their depression symptoms after just one hour and 20 minutes compared with those who took a placebo. This effect lasted for about 30 minutes, and some patients continued to see a benefit up to two days after treatment.
On average, participants in the study had previously tried and failed seven rounds of treatment with various antidepressant therapies. Nearly half had failed to respond to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also known as "shock therapy."
Fast-acting drugs for major depression are urgently needed, said study researcher Dr. Carlos Zarate, of the National Institute of Mental Health. Current antidepressants typically take several weeks to start working, which can jeopardize a depressed person's health, particularly if he or she is at risk for suicide.
Another drug, calledketamine, has recently been shown to ease depression symptoms within hours, but its use has been limited because of serious side effects, including hallucinations. Ketaminehas also been used as a sedative and as a recreational drug.
The new findings suggest that researchers could potentially create a drug that works just as quickly as ketamine, but without the dangerous side effects, Zarate said.No harmful effects from AZD6765were seen during the study.
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Posted by Ken at 12:00 AM