Posted by linkadge on November 4, 2006, at 13:56:06
In reply to Re: My first one worked..., posted by qbsbrown on November 3, 2006, at 23:35:32
If they knew what was going on, they would be able to create better agents.
Theres no evidence that serotonin uptake is altered in depression. Actually, no, thats not true. There has been some evidence that serotonin uptake is altered in depression, unfortunately it is altered in a way that does not fit with SSRI theory. Ie a few large studies of SERT genes revealed that medication free, depression prone had lower baseline uptake of serotonin.
The way they discover these agents is kind of a crap shoot. Potential molecule, shock a bunch of mice, and throw them in water. See if the agent reverses the behavior. If so..step two of process.
Do you think these mice are selected because they have abnormalities in their serotonin/norepinephrine? Of course not.
The fact that all of our current antidepressants work the same way is not evidence that this mechanism is target, it just means that scientists are only good enough to refine accidentally discovered drugs.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:700174
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061104/msgs/700322.html