The latest on snake oil;
The scientific basis behind commonly used antidepressants is completely backwards, according to a review of the research.
For almost 50 years it has been believed by scientists and the public alike that depression is related to low levels of serotonin in the brain.
The most commonly prescribed antidepressant medications — like Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft — are thought to work by keeping serotonin levels higher.
So-called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, block the re-absorption of serotonin into the cells that release it.
In fact, the review finds, the very best evidence available suggests people who are depressed actually have higher levels of serotonin in their brains, not lower.
This means that commonly used antidepressants are actually making the situation worse, not better.