Antidepressants are effective

Depression could be detected by a simple blood taken, according to American researchers. "This analysis could quickly predict the effectiveness of antidepressant therapy within four to five days, thus avoiding a long wait for a month or more to determine the appropriate treatment," said the lead author of 'study, Mark Rasenick at the University of Illinois. "Lipid rafts" Researchers studied the brains of 16 patients depression and suicidal behaviour and compared with the brains of deceased persons without psychiatric history. They determined that the protein alpha Gs was contained in greater proportion in patients with depression in brain cells called "lipid rafts." "These 'rafts' are thick, sticky, almost gooey, and either help or hinder communication between molecules of the membrane," said Mark Rasenick. When this protein is trapped in the "lipid rafts," its ability to activate neurotransmitters is reduced. "Antidepressants help move the Gs alpha out of these 'rafts' and facilitate the action of certain neurotransmitters," he said. While it takes a month for that antidepressants are effective, the researchers established that a change could be observed in the blood cells in only four or five days. The study was published in the Journal of Neuroscience.