New anti-depressants show promise of working faster

5:07 PM, Dec 12, 2012   |    comments
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(WZZM) - One in ten Americans are on anti-depressants. They take sometimes months to work, but Dr. Carlos Zarate a Neuroscientist with the National Institute of Health says a new drug can help patients within hours.

The drug targets a different area of the brain, "Instead of a couple of weeks, six weeks or eight weeks, we can accomplish the same thing in a couple of hours."

Typical anti-depressants target serotonin, a chemical that controls happiness. The new drug works on neurons that control mood. The side effects were minor like nausea and dizziness.

Doctors say more drug trials are needed.