Classes of antidepressants

• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
• Tricyclic antidepressants
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
• Norepinephrine/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (NRIs aka NERIs/NARIs)
• Norepinephrine/dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs)
• Dopamine reuptake inhibitors (DRIs)
• Opioids
• Selective serotonin reuptake enhancers (SSREs)
• Tetracyclic antidepressants
• Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors

Common antidepressants

• Citalopram - Includes Celexa, Cipramil, Talohexane.
• Escitalopram - Includes Lexapro, Cipralex.
• Fluvoxamine - Includes Luvox, Faverin.
• Fluoxetine - Includes Prozac, Sarafem, Fluctin, Fontex, Prodep, Fludep, Lovan.
• Paroxetine - Includes Paxil, Seroxat, Aropax.
• Sertraline - Includes Zoloft, Lustral, Apo-Sertral, Asentra, Gladem, Serlift, Stimuloton.

• Duloxetine - Includes Cymbalta.
• Venlafaxine - Includes Effexor.

• Bupropion - Includes Wellbutrin, Zyban.

How antidepressants work

Antidepressants are believed to have an effect on neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin and norepinephrine.

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitorss (SSRIs) specifically prevent the reuptake of serotonin (increasing the level of serotonin in the synapses of the brain).
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) block the destruction of neurotransmitters by enzymes which normally break them down.
• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) prevent the reuptake of various neurotransmitters, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

Although these drugs are effective in treating depression, exactly how they do it and why is not well understood. Curiously, when a person begins taking antipdepressants, the level in their blood increases to optimal levels in only a few days and begins affecting neurotransmitter activity immediately. Changes in mood, however, often take four weeks or more to appear.