This 1988 review article examines the prevalence and mechanisms of weight gain associated with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and lithium therapy. TCAs are linked to appetite stimulation, carbohydrate cravings, and a dose-dependent weight gain ranging from 0.57 to 1.37 kg per month, potentially due to noradrenergic or
This 2011 study from the GENDEP project compared weight changes in 630 adults with moderate-to-severe unipolar depression treated with either nortriptyline (a tricyclic antidepressant) or escitalopram (an SSRI) over 26 weeks. Nortriptyline users experienced significant weight gain, averaging 1.2 kg at 12 weeks, with continued increase over six months. Weight
This 2002 randomized, double-blind study evaluated weight changes over 26–32 weeks in 284 patients with major depressive disorder treated with fluoxetine, sertraline, or paroxetine. Paroxetine-treated patients experienced a significant average weight gain of 3.6%, with 25.5% gaining more than 7% of their baseline weight. In contrast, fluoxetine-treated patients had a
This 2014 review article discusses the side effects associated with pharmacological treatments for bipolar depression and strategies to manage them. Commonly used medications include mood stabilizers (e.g., lithium, lamotrigine), antipsychotics (e.g., quetiapine, lurasidone), and antidepressants. The article highlights side effects such as weight gain, sedation, gastrointestinal disturbances, and metabolic changes.
This 2009 nested case-control study analyzed data from the UK General Practice Research Database, encompassing 165,958 patients aged ≥30 years with depression but without diabetes at baseline. Over a follow-up period, 2,243 incident diabetes cases and 8,963 matched controls were identified. The study found that recent long-term use (≥24 months)
This 2010 population-based study analyzed data from over 151,000 working-aged adults in Finland to investigate the association between antidepressant use, weight gain, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The study found that individuals with prolonged use of antidepressants (defined as ≥200 defined daily doses per year) had a
This study investigated five newly synthesized methylene blue (MB) analogues with low monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitory activity to assess their antidepressant-like effects. In rats, these analogues exhibited significant antidepressant effects in the forced swim test (FST), similar to imipramine and MB, without affecting locomotor activity. Their IC₅₀ values for
The article “The Association of Hypogonadism with Depression and Its Treatments” explores the bidirectional relationship between male hypogonadism and depression. Men with hypogonadism often experience depressive symptoms, anxiety, insomnia, and cognitive impairment, which may improve with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). However, the prevalence of hypogonadism in depressed individuals and the
This study examined the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors, finding that nearly all participants reported vasomotor symptoms, with hot flashes being the most common. The severity of symptoms negatively impacted the women’s perceived quality of life, as well as their partners’. Despite the widespread issue,
This review explores the mental health challenges associated with menopause, particularly focusing on depression and memory problems. While menopausal women, especially those who are vulnerable, experience an increased risk of depression, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) does not show clear benefits for treating mental health symptoms. Antidepressants remain the primary treatment
