Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital recently completed a clinical trial for an antidepressant currently known as NSI-189 -- and have found that the therapy promotes the production of new brain cells.
This, the researchers believe, will make the therapy an effective part of a regimen to fight depression.
"All currently approved antidepressant drugs modulate changes in the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters," Dr. Maurizio Fava, lead author of the study, said. "Our study finds that this novel compound promotes neurogenesis in a specific part of the brain, is well tolerated and may have robust antidepressant effects. If its efficacy is confirmed in larger trials, this drug could be an important new option for patients not helped by currently available medications."
The study revealed NSI-189 to be effective for both depressive and cognitive symptoms, Fava said. The effects of the drug lasted for months after treatment ceased.
In the study, researchers said depression therapies on the market today could be used effectively by only a third of patients who have been diagnosed with depression. Furthermore, many current medications cause negative side effects such as sleeplessness, sexual dysfunction and weight gain.
This is NSI-189's third trial. It was first tested on mice, then a phase 1a trial -- using healthy volunteers as subjects -- took place in 2011. The third trial tested 24 adult patients who had been diagnosed with depressive disorders.
