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Depression is not fully understood, but a growing amount of evidence supports the view that people with depression have an imbalance of the brain's neurotransmitters, the chemicals that allow nerve cells in the brain to communicate with each other. Many scientists believe that an imbalance in serotonin, one of these neurotransmitters, may be an important factor in the development and severity of depression.
Prozac may help to correct this imbalance by increasing the brain's own supply of serotonin.
Some other antidepressant medicines appear to affect several neurotransmitters in addition to serotonin. Because Prozac selectively affects only serotonin, it may cause fewer side effects than other types of medications.
While Prozac cannot be said to "cure" depression, it does help to control the symptoms of depression, allowing many people with depression to feel better and function more normally.
The antidepressant, antiobsessive-compulsive, and antibulimic actions of fluoxetine are
presumed to be linked to its inhibition of CNS neuronal uptake of serotonin. Studies at clinically
relevant doses in man have demonstrated that fluoxetine blocks the uptake of serotonin into
human platelets. Studies in animals also suggest that fluoxetine is a much more potent uptake
inhibitor of serotonin than of norepinephrine.
Antagonism of muscarinic, histaminergic, and D 1 -adrenergic receptors has been hypothesized to
be associated with various anticholinergic, sedative, and cardiovascular effects of classical
tricyclic antidepressant drugs. Fluoxetine binds to these and other membrane receptors from brain
tissue much less potently in vitro than do the tricyclic drugs.
If you are diagnosed with depression, Prozac can begin to improve your symptoms within one to two weeks of treatment. It may take four weeks or longer to experience the full benefits. You should know that the recommended length of treatment with an antidepressant is 6 to 12 months, because the long-term goal is to keep depression from troubling you again. A doctor should determine the appropriate length of your treatment with Prozac.
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