Posted by yxibow on June 24, 2008, at 19:27:16
In reply to Re: Trazodone as an antidepressant, posted by Amigan on June 24, 2008, at 14:12:12
> I read that it's a 5-HT1a antagonist, among other things. I'm not an expert, but is this a good thing for depression?
It works in somewhat a similar way as its chemical cousin and less sedating, Serzone [nefazodone] (which is a choice if you monitor your liver as it its now known to have some significant issues there), and Remeron at high doses (30+mg usually).
It forms a blockade, like atypical antipsychotics, without the Dx, so it works differenly than SSRIs but may accomplish similar functions in some individuals.
However, Trazodone has two things against it -- first you really have to get beyond 150mg to get any serotonergic effect from it, and the average adult can't stand that dose for very long, it is extraordinarily sedating, which is why it is used as an off label sedative.(Eventually one can become used to the sedating effect of Trazodone and has to backpeddle which is one reason to start less than 150mg unless one is a high metabolizer) So this "used to" factor may possibly make a certain population respond to a very old antidepressant, but it would take a long time to get used to the sedation.
Also it has a metabolite, mCPP, that normally doesn't really have much effect at 50-150mg, but in individuals rather predisposed to psychosis, it can aggravate it.
-- tidings
poster:yxibow
thread:835715
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080617/msgs/836285.html