New Research Finds Antidepressants May Cause ‘Emotional Blunting’

A new study has shown that antidepressants This could make it harder for users to feel both good and bad emotions.

The long-understood role of antidepressants has been rediscovered. This may lead to users experiencing a new type of depression. “emotional blunting,” According to a recent study in Neuropsychopharmacology.

“Emotional blunting is a common side effect of SSRI antidepressants,” Professor Barbara Sahakian of University of Cambridge was the lead author. “In a way, this may be in part how they work — they take away some of the emotional pain that people who experience depression feel, but, unfortunately, it seems that they also take away some of the enjoyment.”

“From our study, we can now see that this is because they become less sensitive to rewards, which provide important feedback,” She added.

Antidepressants make up a $17 Billion industry annually. set to grow To nearly $22 Billion per Year by 2027 Figures It has been shown that only 13% of American adults are taking antidepressants every year. But, this rate is significantly higher for women who receive the medication almost 18%.

This study is the latest in a series of studies by researchers trying to determine how antidepressants can help people. systematic umbrella review Last summer was the end of all that had been. “chemical imbalance” This narrative posits that depression may be caused by abnormalities in serotonin levels in the brain.

Doctors report Although some patients experienced an improvement with the medication, it is not clear what the mechanism was. The new study may provide insight into the function of these receptors, which could be helpful for people with mood regulation issues.

66 volunteers were randomly assigned to receive either escitalopram (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) or a placebo over 21 days. To assess their cognitive function, questionnaires were filled out before and after the trial. The participants in the escitalopram trial were tested by blood.

In questionnaires, the participants taking the drug reported having more trouble achieving an orgasm while having sex — a side-effect often reported by antidepressant users. These findings can help patients make informed decisions about their treatment plans and determine whether the side effects are worth it.

“At least they can be aware of this,” Sahakian said. “Some people can be offered different forms of treatment, particularly if they’ve not come into hospital with severe illness.”

When the team administered a “learning task” Tests were administered to participants. They found that participants in antidepressant groups had lower responses to negative and positive feedback than the control group. This suggested that the drug might have reduced their sensitivity to rewards.

Another battery of tests, which assessed memory and attention, showed that the drug did not make any difference. “The drug isn’t doing anything negative to cognition — from that point of view it’s very good,” said Sahakian.

Dr. Christelle Longley, another lead researcher at the University of Cambridge added: “Our findings provide important evidence for the role of serotonin in reinforcement learning. We are following this work up with a study examining neuroimaging data to understand how escitalopram affects the brain during reward learning.”