Health & Fitness
Summertime Blues and Depression – ‘Help is Possible,’ Says Dr. Jeffrey T. Apter
Princeton study of a new antidepressant that may not decrease sex drive, and may help you shed the blues without gaining the pounds.
Summer is a time when people are more optimistic about everything – summer vacations, beautiful weather, time with family and more.
Yet, people with clinical depression continue to feel hopeless and pessimistic.
When you're depressed, your interest in everything wanes – perhaps even sex.
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When you take antidepressants, your mood may improve, but your libido may not. Or maybe there is literally more of you to feel, as some of those same drugs can cause weight gain.
At Princeton Medical Institute, we are running a clinical trial of a new type of antidepressant that could treat depression with fewer side effects.
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In an earlier clinical study, patients felt better without the weight gain and sexual side effects that are common with other antidepressants.
In this clinical trial, we are examining treating depression with an antidepressant called amitifadine that affects all three chemical pathways in the brain that may be affected in those who suffer from depression.
Antidepressants that are currently on the market affect only one or two of these pathways.
Physicians have long appreciated the benefits of simulating this effect on the three pathways, but to do that they’ve had to prescribe two or even three separate medications.
We should all be concerned about depression. One out of two people will be diagnosed with mental illness at some point, and major depression is a leading diagnosis, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control study. Another CDC survey reported that by 2020, depression is expected to be second only to cardiovascular disease in disease burden.
The many advantages of taking part in a clinical research study include assessments by expert physicians, and access to the latest medical treatments and follow-up care, at no cost. Volunteers are compensated for their time and travel expenses. TRIADE participants visit our clinic once a week during the 12-week trial. They are not required to spend the night at the clinic. For information on the TRIADE study, call (609) 921-6050.
