Penn Research Finds Antidepressants May Reduce Signs of Alzheimer's

A new study from Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) researchers published in Neurology suggests selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may reduce production of a key protein found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer . "I certainly wouldn't argue that people should convince themselves that they should start taking SSRIs for this reason," said Penn State's Yvette Sheline. Still, this may give those already taking SSRIs more confidence in those medications. Sheline and her team considered how escitalopram affected levels of the protein amyloid in the spinal fluid of healthy adults 50 and older. Participants were not symptomatic of dementia or serious depression, and past research had revealed decreased levels of the protein in younger adults who took the drug. Following two to eight weeks of treatment, participants who took escitalopram had 9.4 percent less spinal fluid amyloid than those who took a placebo. Sheline said it is probable that people who took the drug longer would exhibit a larger cumulative effect.