Drug Treatment of Depression in the 1990s

The most important progress in antidepressant development over the past decade includes compounds with markedly reduced binding capacities at unrelated receptor sites.

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and other classes of antidepressants have distinct properties.
• Current antidepressants may not fully meet three key therapeutic needs: superior efficacy compared to tricyclic antidepressants, faster onset of action, and effectiveness in therapy-resistant cases.
• Improved tolerability in antidepressants could enhance safety during therapeutic use and overdose situations.
• The profile of an ideal antidepressant is being refined based on the specific advantages and disadvantages of existing compounds.

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