This file accompanies a Youtube clip covering the role of serotonin and SSRI's in the development and treatment of depression.

1. Depression - Symptoms
• Thoughts of suicide or death
• Anhedonia (the loss of ability to experience
pleasure, or the inability to gain pleasure
from normally pleasurable activities.
• Difficulty concentrating
• Reduced energy or feeling fatigued
• Altered sleep patterns – insomnia (difficulty
going/ staying asleep), hypersomnia (feeling
tired after excessive sleep – 12hrs + per day)
• Prolonged sadness for the majority of the
day for at least 2 weeks.
• Dramatic change in weight (either loss or
gain)
• Change in appetite – either loss or increase
• Inappropriate guilt or self-blame
• Agitated for retarded psychological/ physical
activity

2. Application of Biopsychosocial framework to
understanding a Mood disorder: Depression
1: Biological triggers
• Genes – more likely to develop
depression if a/ both parents
suffered from mood disorder
• Low levels of Serotonin
• Which is a neurotransmitter that
has an inhibitory (calming effect)
on Central.N.S
• Serotonin deficiencies – linked to
– anorexia, bulimia, social
anxiety & mood
disorders, OCD, Schizophrenia, sl
eep disorders
• Low levels of Noradrenalin aka
norepinephrine also linked to
symptoms of depression

3. SSRI’s: (Selective Serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)
• Typically mimic the effect of
serotonin
• Which after 2-6 weeks start to
take effect
• Short-term side effects:
anxiety, insomnia, weight gain
• SSRI’s block the reabsorption
of serotonin at the pre-
synaptic neuron, thus
increasing serotonin activity at
post-synaptic neuron