eli5: Why do antidepressant takes 2-4 weeks to work when brain changes happen right after the first dose?

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eli5: Why do antidepressant takes 2-4 weeks to work when brain changes happen right after the first dose?

In: Biology

4 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Downstream effects where G proteins congregate in lipid rafts, in the brain, and cannot access cAMP, is the leading theory. Just because something binds to a receptor doesn’t always elicit a desired effect right away since further events must take place once the ligand is bound.

ELI5: binding to a receptor requires further steps in the cell to reach the desired effect and there is a problem with the second messenger system

Anonymous 0 Comments

side note: are SSRIs like Zoloft easy to discontinue? And why can’t your body just produce enough seratonin instead of needing to take supplements? Wtf brain???

Anonymous 0 Comments

Simple version: It takes time to come up to a therapeutic level. Sure, it’s in your system fast but it needs time to build up to an effective level in your blood stream.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Basically, imagine a riverbed moving. A river does not form a new riverbed in an instant.

It takes time for the new paths/lines of thought to form before the effects are fully felt.

The first impact is the energy level, but the frame of reference that is used to ensure antidepressants work, is your own analysis of your thoughts. It helps you change them but your brain has to do the changes itself.