An international team of scientists led by King’s College London has published a meta-study that traces the relationship between serotonin balance in the human body and depression. For more than 30 years, serotonin imbalance has been considered the main cause of depression. The effect of antidepressants is aimed at restoring balance. The study showed that a decrease in serotonin activity is not associated with depression, which means that antidepressants are hitting the target.
The study, conducted by an international team of scientists led by King’s College London, covers a huge number of publications on various aspects of the connection between the neurotransmitter serotonin and depression. The conclusion made by scientists contradicts the established medical practice over the past 30 years.
In an article published in the journal Nature, the researchers write: “The main areas of serotonin research do not provide reliable evidence of a link between serotonin and depression, nor do they support the hypothesis that depression is caused by a decrease in serotonin activity or concentration. Some data show the possibility that long-term use of antidepressants reduces the concentration of serotonin.”
If this is the case, and the evidence is extremely convincing, then antidepressants that are aimed at increasing the concentration of serotonin are practically useless.
The world on antidepressants
Pharmaceutical companies around the world sell antidepressants worth tens of billions of dollars annually. In the United States alone, antidepressants were sold for more than $15 billion in 2021, and more than $21 billion is planned for 2025.
In the UK, antidepressants are prescribed to every sixth adult. But, if the conclusions of the new study are correct: “long-term use of antidepressants reduces the concentration of serotonin.” So there is a kind of dependence on antidepressants. In particular, this is why the authors of the study, in a summary of their work on The Conversation website, warn that you should not stop taking antidepressants without consulting a doctor.