A new study presented at the ECNP Conference in Milan and published in Biological Psychiatry has revealed that Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), commonly used antidepressants, can enhance certain cognitive functions.
Researchers measured brain activity in patients before and after taking escitalopram, a type of SSRI. They found a correlation between a decrease in serotonin receptor levels in the brain and improved verbal memory during treatment. These findings suggest that SSRIs may have additional benefits beyond their primary use in treating depression.
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Serotonin, often referred to as the “feel-good” chemical, plays a crucial role in mood regulation. Elevated levels of serotonin in the brain can contribute to a sense of well-being and alleviate symptoms of depression in many individuals.
The brain contains several serotonin receptors that work together to regulate serotonin’s interaction with brain cells and maintain emotional balance. This study, however, specifically focused on the 5HT4 receptor. Understanding the role of this particular receptor in serotonin’s effects on mood and well-being may provide new insights into potential treatment strategies for depression.
The researchers began by scanning the brains of 90 depressed patients, to measure the quantity of 5HT4 receptor which serotonin binds to. At the same time, patients were given a series of tests to measure mood and cognitive abilities.
Patients were given daily doses of escitalopram, and at the end of an 8-week period, 40 patients were rescanned to measure the quantity of 5HT4 receptor in the brain. The mood of the patients had improved, but the team also found that the levels of 5HT4 receptor had dropped by around 9% possibly due to adaptations to increased levels of serotonin. When they asked these patients to undertake more cognitive tests, they found that their performance had improved, so that the less the 5HT4 receptor had changed the better the cognitive outcome. This phenomenon was particularly prominent for the ability to recall words.
“This is potentially significant” said researcher Vibeke Dam (Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark), “It seems that the SSRI medication contributes to an improvement on cognitive function, at the same time as helping improve mood. Our work ties the improvement in cognitive function to the specific 5HT4 receptor and suggest that direct serotonin 4 receptor stimulation may be in important pro-cognitive target to consider in optimizing outcomes of antidepressant treatment. It also reinforces the idea that serotonin is crucial to mood improvement.
Co-researcher Vibe Froekjaer (Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark), added, “This is a first result, so we need to do a lot more work to look at the implications. Poor cognitive function is very hard to treat efficiently and may require extra treatment. This work points to the possibility of stimulating this specific receptor so that we can treat cognitive problems, even aside from whether or not the patient is has overcome the core symptoms of depression”.
The researchers note that this was a real-world study, so there is no placebo control.
