Latest news with #Fluoxetine
Hindustan Times
03-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Antidepressants affect male brains, but do little to female brains: Study
Antidepressants have strong impact on male brains — with the nature of the impact depending on the age of the subject — but do not affect female brains, a new study of rats has shown, suggesting that there needs to be more exploration of the physiological effects of such drugs, something that could eventually influence how they are used in treatments. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most prominent intervention for depression, anxiety, and other neuropsychiatric disorders, and allow for more serotonin in the brain as a result. (Representational image) The neurohormone serotonin plays a large role in shaping emotional pathways in the brain, because of which its regulation is a common target of antidepressants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most prominent intervention for depression, anxiety, and other neuropsychiatric disorders, and allow for more serotonin in the brain as a result. Fluoxetine — commonly known by brand names like Prozac, Fludac, and Sarafem — is the most widely used SSRI for all ages, including for pregnant women, lactating mothers, children and adolescents. The study examines the long-term effects of fluoxetine in rat brains when administered at a young age, lead to a series of findings that raise more questions than answers. Early administration of the drug led to long-term but wildly opposing changes in male brains — when administered just after birth, the rats became more anxious over time; when administered during the juvenile window when they reach sexual maturity, they developed less anxious and depressive behaviours. Additionally, the researchers also observed changes in neuron structure in the brain, changes to energy production by mitochondria, and gene expressions or activation of a group of genes. Most surprisingly, only male rats were affected by the drug. Female rats that were given the drug at the same time windows displayed no long-term changes in behaviours, brain structure, mitochondria, or genetic expressions. 'Fluoxetine is the most common drug given to individuals under the age of 18, as well as to pregnant women because of its good risk-benefit profile, but people have not yet worked on these specific windows of administration in a systematic way to evaluate long-term effects,' explained Utkarsha Ghai, lead author of the paper who finished her PhD at TIFR-Mumbai and is a postdoc at NIMHANS Bengaluru. 'Our findings prove the window of administration of these antidepressants and the gender of the person, all these variables actually matter.' The findings were published in the Biological Psychiatry journal. What the study showed The primary findings of the study show that the age at which antidepressants are given affects their effects, sometimes exacerbating depressive tendencies and resulting in the opposite of what they're supposed to do. The team of TIFR scientists set out to examine the effects of fluoxetine on the brain before and after sexual hormones become active, dividing their young rats into two groups – the post-natal group consisted of rats that were 2-21 days old, while the juvenile group were 28-48 days of age. In humans, these findings translate to similar but significant time windows of age—post-natal equivalent is paediatric, from the third trimester to a few years of age until sexual hormones appear; and juvenile would refer to the age of beginning of sexual hormones (typically teenage years) until the complete development of the pre-frontal cortex in the brains, or adolescence up to the age of 25. 'We have known for a while that serotonin levels play a huge role in shaping emotional circuitry in the long term, especially when they are fiddled around with in a developing brain,' said Vidita Vaidya, principal investigator of the study and professor of neurobiology at TIFR. 'Because SSRIs pass through the placental barrier in pregnant women and enter foetal brains, as well as being transmitted through breastmilk there is ample clinical data indicating that we need to look at these age-related effects more closely.' Behavioural effects were noticed right away with the rats when they reached adulthood (3 to 6 months of age). The juvenile administered group showed increased resilience and curiosity, explored their test settings more and exhibited less despair and anxiety behaviours. But the rats that were given the drug in babyhood, the post-natal group, showed drastically increased despair and anxiety as adults. 'We saw very long-lasting effects, observed up to 18 months in these rats,' explained Vaidya (rats live for about 24 months). 'Such strong behavioural changes immediately imply there is likely perturbation associated with transmission of signals in the brains, and possibly in the architecture of neurons'. Indeed, the authors found that in the post-natal group, there was a strong atrophy and physical degradation of neurons or nerve cells in the brain that transmit signals, with the exact opposite effect in the juvenile group. When they examined changes in genetic expressions or identifying which sets of genes were affected, they noticed distinct changes in two groups—those associated with synaptic architecture that has to do with neurons firing in the brain, and those associated with mitochondrial regulation. Mitochondria, fondly known as the powerhouse of the cell, was also strongly affected in opposite ways in the experiment. For the post-natal group, it was again affected adversely, with its ability to produce energy and the total energy produced, both reduced. This reduced bioenergy production resulted in both reduced physical metabolism and lowered energy for neurons to fire in the brain. For the juvenile group, both were boosted. There were close to 500 genes each for both groups that were dysregulated, resulting in upregulation (increased production of gene products like proteins) and downregulation, but it appears that a mere four genes are common between both sets. Affected genes included those involved in metabolism and immune responses. 'The results are mind-blowing,' said Ghai. 'The entire process kept us on our toes, especially when we found such stark differences in a downstream molecular pathways that needed to be explained.' Male brains can reverse, but female brains completely unaffected Such long-lasting and adverse changes due to early exposure to SSRIs on the brain would need treatment and potential reversals, so the team also studied the effects of nicotinamide or vitamin B3—known to boost mitochondrial function—when administered to these rats as adults. Surprisingly, they found several of the adverse effects observed in post-natal rats were reversed completely, with their metabolism restored and a drastic reduction in their despair behaviours. The other most significant finding from the study was that all of the effects described seemed to appear only in adult male rats. Female rat brains were entirely spared of any effect into adulthood. 'We saw similar changes immediately after administration for both males and females in the early window, but for female rats, the effects were not long-lasting. By the time they reached adulthood, none of the effects persisted. It seems females are entirely spared,' said Ghai. Potential reasons for this could be future protection accorded by estrogen and other female hormones, or genetic differences from sex chromosomes, or other reasons, requiring further study. 'The sex-selective effect is a big surprise,' said Biju Vishwanath, Additional Professor of Psychiatry at NIMHANS, unaffiliated with the study. 'There is no difference between men and women in therapeutic effects when it comes to antidepressants, so these findings are significant. But mainly what stands out is the difference in the two age windows. In practice, we administer these drugs to patients as young as 5 or 6 years who are depressive. So seeing that it results in these kind of functional changes is important for clinicians.' He also added that the ability to reverse these effects with vitamin B3 are a key finding. 'As a psychiatrist, these studies are crucial for us to be able to prove and validate that these drugs lead to physiological changes in brain and mitochondrial function, and this has a huge impact on practice.' Vaidya also noted that when some post-natal group rats were given fluoxetine in the juvenile window, their effects neutralised — they had neither better nor worse effects, indicating the importance of age of intervention with antidepressants. 'If a pregnant woman is suicidal or a new mother has post-partum depression, they still need to be treated with SSRIs. But these pass to the child through both the placenta and breast milk,' said Vaidya. 'This could potentially induce or worsen suicidal ideation in those children as they enter adulthood. Timely interventions such as with Vitamin B3 are helpful to treat adverse effects even later in life.' Sandhya Ramesh is a Bengaluru-based science journalist and writer.
Metro
30-06-2025
- Health
- Metro
Why people taking antidepressants should be careful taking the Tube this summer
If you're travelling on the Tube this summer, you're probably already hot, sweaty and miserable. But if you're on antidepressants, you might also be at risk of overheating. The hottest temperature ever recorded on the London Underground is up for debate. TfL's official statistics recorded 33.1C on the Victoria Line in August 2024. Ask any commuter down there during a heatwave, however, and they'll tell you it feels more like the burning gates of hell. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), used to treat anxiety, depression and panic disorders, are generally considered safe and effective. But they come with a major side effect that's often overlooked: heat intolerance. These common medications can affect the body's ability to regulate temperature, putting people at higher risk of heat exhaustion, especially in sweltering environments like the London Underground. Last year, more than 8.7 million adults were prescribed antidepressants, according to NHS data. Social media is filled with thousands of people's experiences with them, good and bad. And one common complaint in summer is the heat. Some have said they've been 'melting' and 'overheating', while temperatures have been hitting 30C, while others compare it to being 'burnt alive'. 'Taking antidepressants doesn't mean you can't enjoy summer, but it does mean you mean you need to be extra cautious during extreme heat,' Dr Asim Cheema, an internal Medicine and Cardiology specialist at Your Doctors Online, tells Metro. Dr Cheema explains that certain antidepressants, including SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, and SNRIs (Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors), can impair the body's ability to regulate temperature. 'Some affect the hypothalamus (which controls temperature regulation), while others reduce sweating, making it harder for the body to cool down naturally,' he explains. 'This can increase the risk of heat exhaustion, dehydration, and even heatstroke during periods of high temperature.' Dr Cheema says this can occur when taking commonly prescribed SSRIs, like Sertraline and Fluoxetine, SNRIs, like Venlafaxine and Duloxetine, as well as tricyclic antidepressants, like amitriptyline. 'Antipsychotics, beta blockers, diuretics and some antihistamines can also affect heat tolerance,' he adds. If you're travelling to work on sweltering public transport, spending most of the day outside, or just trying to enjoy the sun, there are some common signs of heat exhaustion to look out for. Dr Nikita Kanani, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Aneira Health, tells Metro, this can include dizziness, nausea and heavy sweating. Dr Kanani advises 'acting quickly' if you spot any of these symptoms. He suggests moving to a cooler place, sipping water slowly and using a fan or a damp cloth to cool down. He adds: 'Avoid pushing through your symptoms, listen to your body and importantly, talk to your doctor if symptoms persist – you may need to adjust when you take your medication or review alternatives.' To protect yourselves during the heat, he suggests avoiding direct sun exposure during the hottest part of the day (between 11am and 3pm). 'If you're out, wear a hat, use SPF, and take breaks in the shade. Planning outdoor time for early morning or evening can help reduce risk.' And for those braving sweltering public transport, he advises planning ahead where possible. 'Travel outside peak times, carry water, wear breathable clothing, and use a hand fan. More Trending 'If you feel faint or unwell, get off at the next stop, find somewhere cool, and rest. Never ignore symptoms – overheating can happen quickly.' Dr Kanani adds that while common, this side effect can often be overlooked and isn't routinely discussed. He adds: 'Especially when medications are first prescribed in the cooler months or if someone is starting treatment for the first time. It can also be underestimated in clinical consultations, where the focus is understandably on mental health support. 'As heatwaves become more common, we need to talk more openly about how medication affects our health in real-world conditions – especially for women and people with long-term conditions.' If you're taking antidepressants or any medication that makes you more susceptible to heat, Dr Asim Cheema advises the following: Recognise warning signs: Headache, nausea, confusion, or feeling faint can all signal heat-related distress, which is more likely if you're on certain medications. Stay well-hydrated: Dehydration can worsen side effects like dizziness or lightheadedness. Dress lightly: Wear breathable, loose-fitting clothes. Plan ahead: If you know you'll be on the Tube or in another hot environment, carry water, use cooling towels, and if possible, avoid peak travel times. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ View More » Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Saptalis Pharmaceuticals Launches Fluoxetine Oral Solution, USP 20 mg/5 mL
HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., June 18, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Saptalis Pharmaceuticals, LLC. is pleased to announce the commercial launch of Fluoxetine Oral Solution, USP 20 mg/5 mL, a prescription-only selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) developed to treat a range of mental health conditions effectively. This oral formulation is designed to support flexible and individualized treatment, particularly for patients who experience difficulty swallowing solid dosage forms. Fluoxetine Oral Solution is indicated for the following conditions: Acute and maintenance treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Acute and maintenance treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Acute and maintenance treatment of Bulimia Nervosa Acute treatment of Panic Disorder, with or without agoraphobia "We are excited to expand our product portfolio with the introduction of Fluoxetine Oral Solution," said Polireddy Dondeti, Ph.D., President and CEO, of Saptalis Pharmaceuticals, LLC. "This launch reflects our ongoing commitment to providing high-quality, accessible medications that meet the evolving needs of both patients and healthcare professionals." Fluoxetine Oral Solution, USP 20 mg/5 mL is available by prescription and should only be used under the guidance of a licensed healthcare provider to ensure safe and effective treatment. For full prescribing information or to learn more, please visit or contact us at info@ About Saptalis Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Saptalis Pharmaceuticals, LLC. is a rapidly growing company focused on the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of specialty pharmaceutical products, including complex and high-quality generics, with particular expertise in liquid and semi-solid dosage forms. Headquartered in Hauppauge, New York, Saptalis operates fully equipped R&D laboratories and a state-of-the-art commercial manufacturing facility compliant with U.S. FDA cGMP standards. The company is dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that enhance patient care and improve treatment outcomes. View source version on Contacts Peruvemba SatishChief Financial Officer & Chief Commercial Officer(631) 231 2751 x211info@
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Saptalis Pharmaceuticals Launches Fluoxetine Oral Solution, USP 20 mg/5 mL
HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., June 18, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Saptalis Pharmaceuticals, LLC. is pleased to announce the commercial launch of Fluoxetine Oral Solution, USP 20 mg/5 mL, a prescription-only selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) developed to treat a range of mental health conditions effectively. This oral formulation is designed to support flexible and individualized treatment, particularly for patients who experience difficulty swallowing solid dosage forms. Fluoxetine Oral Solution is indicated for the following conditions: Acute and maintenance treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Acute and maintenance treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Acute and maintenance treatment of Bulimia Nervosa Acute treatment of Panic Disorder, with or without agoraphobia "We are excited to expand our product portfolio with the introduction of Fluoxetine Oral Solution," said Polireddy Dondeti, Ph.D., President and CEO, of Saptalis Pharmaceuticals, LLC. "This launch reflects our ongoing commitment to providing high-quality, accessible medications that meet the evolving needs of both patients and healthcare professionals." Fluoxetine Oral Solution, USP 20 mg/5 mL is available by prescription and should only be used under the guidance of a licensed healthcare provider to ensure safe and effective treatment. For full prescribing information or to learn more, please visit or contact us at info@ About Saptalis Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Saptalis Pharmaceuticals, LLC. is a rapidly growing company focused on the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of specialty pharmaceutical products, including complex and high-quality generics, with particular expertise in liquid and semi-solid dosage forms. Headquartered in Hauppauge, New York, Saptalis operates fully equipped R&D laboratories and a state-of-the-art commercial manufacturing facility compliant with U.S. FDA cGMP standards. The company is dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that enhance patient care and improve treatment outcomes. View source version on Contacts Peruvemba SatishChief Financial Officer & Chief Commercial Officer(631) 231 2751 x211info@ Error al recuperar los datos Inicia sesión para acceder a tu cartera de valores Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos
Boston Globe
17-06-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
Healthcare exchanges in New England shared users' sensitive health data with companies like Google
The exchange websites ask users to answer a series of questions, including about their health histories, to find them the most relevant information on plans. But in some cases, when visitors responded to sensitive questions, the invisible trackers sent that information to platforms like Google, Advertisement The Markup and CalMatters audited the websites of all 19 states that independently operate their own online health exchange. While most of the sites contained advertising trackers of some kind, The Markup and CalMatters found that four states exposed visitors' sensitive health information. Nevada's exchange, Nevada Health Link, asks visitors about what prescriptions they use, including the names and dosages of the drugs, to help them find their best options for health insurance. When visitors start typing, it suggests specific medications, including antidepressants, birth control and hormone therapies. As visitors answered the questions, their responses were sent to LinkedIn and Snapchat, according to tests conducted by The Markup and CalMatters in April and May. When an individual indicated that they took Fluoxetine, commonly known as Prozac, on Nevada Health Link, the information was sent to LinkedIn. The Markup/CalMatters On the other side of the country, Maine's exchange, sent information on drug prescriptions and dosages to Google through an analytics tool. It also sent the names of doctors and hospitals that people had previously visited. Advertisement Rhode Island's exchange, HealthSource RI, sent prescription information, dosages, and doctors' names to Google. Massachusetts Health Connector, another exchange, told LinkedIn whether visitors said they were pregnant, blind, or disabled. After being contacted by The Markup and CalMatters, Nevada's health exchange stopped sending visitors' data to Snapchat and Massachusetts stopped sending data to LinkedIn. Additionally, The Markup and CalMatters found that Nevada stopped sending data to LinkedIn in early May, as we were testing. The Markup and CalMatters discovered the sharing after finding that California's exchange, Covered California, Experts said state health exchanges' use of advertising trackers was troubling if not entirely surprising. Such tools can help organizations to reach visitors and tailor ads for them. Google Analytics allows website operators to better understand who is coming to their site and to optimize ad campaigns. The LinkedIn and Snap trackers, like a similar offering from Meta, help companies target their social media ads. Nevada uses the trackers to help target marketing at uninsured residents, according to Russell Cook, Executive Director of the state agency that operates Nevada's exchange, Silver State Health Insurance Exchange. But health care services need to be especially careful with those tools, said John Haskell, a data privacy attorney who has previously worked as an investigator for the Department of Health and Human Services. 'It doesn't surprise me that organizations that have these massive tech stacks that rely on third party-resources don't have a full understanding of what the configuration is, what the data flows are, and then once they go to somebody, what that data is being used for,' Haskell said. 'It's something that needs to be addressed.' Advertisement How was state exchange data tied to users' identities? After The Markup and CalMatters then examined websites operated by 18 states other than California, as well as Washington, D.C., to see what information they shared as users navigated them. The sites were established under the Affordable Care Act, which requires states to offer health insurance either through their own exchanges or one operated by the federal government. To test them, we first ran the sites through The results showed that 18 used some sort of tracker. Some were filled with them. Nevada, for example, used nearly 50. By contrast, Blacklight found no tracker of any kind on Washington, D.C.'s exchange. Popular websites use on average seven trackers, according to Many of the sites used trackers in relatively innocuous ways, like counting page views. The four exchanges we found sharing sensitive health data sent varied responses to questions about the tracking. Advertisement Cook said in a statement that trackers placed by his Nevada agency were 'inadvertently obtaining information regarding the name and dosage of prescription drugs' and sending it to LinkedIn and Snapchat. Cook acknowledged such data was 'wholly irrelevant to our marketing efforts' and said it had disabled tracking software pending an audit. Jason Lefferts, a spokesperson for Massachusetts Health Connector, said in a statement that 'personally identifiable information is not part of the tool's structure and no personally identifiable information, not even the IP addresses of users of the tool, has ever been shared with any party in any way via this tool.' But LinkedIn's Spokespeople for the Rhode Island and Maine health exchanges said that they pay a vendor, Consumers' Checkbook, to run a separate site that allows visitors to explore what plans are available to them through their states' exchanges. It was from these sites that sensitive information was shared to Google. Consumers' Checkbook's sites are at different web addresses than the exchange sites, but are prominently linked to on the exchange sites and display identical branding like the state health exchange's logo, making it unlikely that an average visitor would realize they were no longer on a state-run domain. Christina Spaight O'Reilly, a spokesperson for HealthSource RI, said the company uses Google Analytics to study trends but not to serve ads, and 'disables Google Signals Data Collection, ensuring that no data is shared with Google Ads for audience creation or ad personalization, and no session data is linked to Google's advertising cookies or identifiers.' HealthSource RI's terms of use mention the use of Google Analytics, she noted. A spokesperson for made similar points, saying that the agency 'does not collect or retain any data entered into the tool.' Advertisement When an individual selected a doctor on HealthSource RI, the doctor's name was sent to Google Analytics. The Markup/CalMatters Consumers' Checkbook declined to comment beyond the exchanges' statements. All of the exchanges said that individually identifiable health information, like names and addresses, wasn't sent to third parties. But the point of the trackers is to enhance information sent about a user with data the platforms already have on that user, and every tracker found by The Markup and CalMatters logged details about individual visitors, such as their operating system, browser, device, and times of visit. In response to requests for comment, the tech companies whose trackers we examined uniformly said they do not want organizations sending them potentially sensitive health data, and that doing so is against their terms of use. Steve Ganem, Director of Product Management for Google Analytics, said that 'by default any data sent to Google Analytics does not identify individuals, and we have strict policies against collecting Private Health Information or advertising based on sensitive information.' A spokesperson for LinkedIn, Brionna Ruff, said that advertisers are not allowed 'to target ads based on sensitive data categories,' such as health issues. A spokesperson for Snapchat owner Snap said the same, noting that sending purchases of supplies like prescriptions would run afoul of the company's rules about sensitive data. Advertisement 'It is important to ensure that your implementation of Google Analytics and the data collected about visitors to your properties satisfies all applicable legal requirements,' the page reads. More incidents State exchanges aren't the only health sites that have sent medical information to social media companies. In 2022, In 2023, a New York hospital agreed to pay a $300,000 fine for violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. In response to a series of incidents, the Some plaintiffs have used state laws, like those in California, to argue that they should be compensated for having their health data sent to third parties without consent. Others have argued that this kind of tracking runs afoul of 'Organizations aren't investing enough time and resources into properly vetting everything,' said Haskell, who advises clients to be very careful about the information they track on their sites. 'When organizations are saying, 'we didn't understand that there's a certain configuration of this tool that we're using,' well, I can't really not put that on you.'
