Review, 2003
Do antidepressants work differently in women than men?
Some evidence suggests they may. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors appear more effective and better tolerated in women than older types, and estrogen may enhance their effect. However, more research is needed.
What they did
This is a review article examining research on depression in women and how antidepressant treatment differs between men and women.
What they found
Serotonin reuptake inhibitors appear more effective than older tricyclic antidepressants in treating depressive disorders in women. Women generally experience more side effects from tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors than men do. Estrogen appears to enhance antidepressant response in postmenopausal women receiving estrogen replacement therapy.
What it means for you
Antidepressant treatment may need to be approached differently in women than men, and hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle may affect how depression develops and how antidepressants work. The main limitation is that this is a review, not new research, and many questions about hormones and treatment remain unanswered.
About the study
- Original title
- Special issues related to the treatment of depression in women
- Authors
- Yonkers KA
- Journal
- The Journal of clinical psychiatry
- Year
- 2003
- Study design
- Review
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14700449/
Topics
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