Serotonin News and Research

Latest Serotonin News and Research

Ecstasy study identifies potentially lethal combination

Some ecstasy users are using a variety of pharmaceutical drugs to increase the effect of ecstasy or to combat the negative effects of the drug a new study released today has found. The results suggest that some of these combinations are potentially lethal and could result in 'serotonin syndrome'.

12 Oct 2004

Minor depression is effectively treated with medication

Minor depression, an underdiagnosed and undertreated subset of major depressive disorder that affects upwards of 15 million Americans, can be effectively treated with a drug called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)

5 Oct 2004

Researchers investigate whether hormone therapy and two alternative herbal products can lessen memory in menopausal women

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago are investigating whether hormone therapy and two alternative herbal products can lessen memory and other cognitive problems experienced by menopausal women.

4 Oct 2004

Study to test the effectiveness of anti-depressants in treating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease

While Parkinson’s disease typically brings to mind symptoms such as tremors and slow movement, researchers have found that nearly half of all Parkinson’s patients also suffer from depression. While it might seem natural that someone who has a disease such as Parkinson’s might become depressed, it’s not so simple, says neurologist Irene Richard, M.D., who leads the study.

27 Sep 2004

Histamine is key to narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a disorder of sleep regulation that affects control of wakefulness and sleep and renders the patient subject to disabling sleepiness during the day.

23 Sep 2004

Promising early results in a study of a medication to treat kleptomania

Kleptomania, the guilt-ridden, impulsive stealing of inexpensive and unneeded items, often goes untreated as many who suffer from the disorder hesitate to seek help out of fear of being turned in for their illegal activities.

23 Sep 2004

FDA proposal on antidepressants is premature and may be counterproductive

The recent FDA proposal to force antidepressants to carry warnings about increased suicide risk is the subject of a pair of articles by leading experts in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

23 Sep 2004

European positive for Cymbalta and Xeristar

Eli Lilly and Company and Boehringer Ingelheim have announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products in Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has issued a positive opinion recommending approval of duloxetine for the treatment of major depressive episodes.

20 Sep 2004

Yentreve available in Europe for treatment of stress urinary incontinence

Yentreve (duloxetine hydrochloride) is now available in certain European countries, giving women suffering from moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence (SUI) a pharmaceutical treatment option for the first time.

13 Sep 2004

Chemical pathways of serotonin in the nervous system pave way for future pharmaceutical treatments for depression

From mollusks to mammals, newly discovered chemical pathways of serotonin in the nervous system are paving a path toward future pharmaceutical treatments for depression and other disorders.

10 Sep 2004

Cymbalta approved for diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Eli Lilly's Cymbalta, a balanced and potent serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Cymbalta is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for pain caused by diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

8 Sep 2004

Cymbalta, treatment for major depression hits the market

Cymbalta, a new treatment for major depression, is now available by prescription in pharmacies across the United States, Eli Lilly and Company has announced.

26 Aug 2004

Cymbalta, a new treatment for major depression

Cymbalta, a new treatment for major depression, is now available by prescription in pharmacies across the United States, Eli Lilly and Company have announced.

25 Aug 2004

Genetic mutation link to sudden infant death syndrome

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center, and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh have identified mutations in genes pertinent to the autonomic nervous system among babies who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) that might explain why they died.

21 Aug 2004

Current information on the use of antidepressants in pediatric patients

The Food and Drug Administration has issued an update to provide health care providers and patients with the most current information on the use of antidepressants in pediatric patients.

21 Aug 2004

Pineal gland which regulates the cycles of sleep and waking evolved to improve vision

The pineal gland - which regulates the cycles of sleep and waking - appears to have evolved as an indirect way to improve vision, by keeping toxic compounds away from the eye

13 Aug 2004

Newborns may be harmed when pregnant women take Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and other anti-depressants during the third trimester of pregnancy

Health Canada is advising Canadians that newborns may be adversely affected when pregnant women take Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and other newer anti-depressants during the third trimester of pregnancy.

9 Aug 2004