Is there a way of using the melatonin system as an antidepressant?
Is there a way of using the melatonin system as an antidepressant?
A drug called agomelatine, released in Australia several years ago, does just this.
It works on the melatonin and serotonergic system synergistically, says Dr Tom Paterson, a psychiatrist and the director of the Adelaide Clinic Community Service.
[media_embed] https://player.vimeo.com/video/225199889[/media_embed]
âThe question is why,â he says. âNone of us are really sure but then if you ask people how any antidepressants work, none of us are really sure.â
One of the theories is that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is necessary for brain growth and neuroplasticity.
âThe theory is that if you stimulate BDNF, you increase the growth of new synaptic connections and you make the brain functional,â says Dr Paterson.
âYou donât get an immediate response,â he says. âItâs a bit like fertilising your roses. They donât bloom tomorrow, they bloom in several weeks.â
