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 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 prospective cohort study analyzed data from 3,434 participants aged 65 and older without dementia at baseline, enrolled in the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study, to examine the association between cumulative use of strong anticholinergic medications and the risk of incident dementia. Over a mean follow-up of 7.3 years,
