Serotonin and depression: a disconnect between the advertisements and the scientific literature

Jeffrey R Lacasse; Jonathan Leo

doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0020392

Serotonin and depression: a disconnect between the advertisements and the scientific literature

PLoS Med. 2005 Dec;2(12):e392. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0020392. Epub 2005 Nov 8.

Authors

Jeffrey R Lacasse¹, Jonathan Leo

Affiliation

¹ Florida State University College of Social Work, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America.

Abstract

Many ads for SSRI antidepressants claim that the drugs boost brain serotonin levels. Lacasse and Leo argue there is little scientific evidence to support this claim.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Advertising*
Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use*
Community Participation
Depression / drug therapy*
Depression / physiopathology*
Humans
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
Serotonin / metabolism
Serotonin / physiology*
United States
United States Food and Drug Administration

Substances

Antidepressive Agents
Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
Serotonin