Posted by linkadge on May 12, 2020, at 7:01:53
In reply to Re: 'safer' not 'better'?, posted by beckett2 on May 11, 2020, at 2:04:23
The problem is that the genetic load of say bipolar vs. unipolar is not categorical. It is along a continuum.
Therefore saying categorically, that antidepressants should be avoided in 'bipolar' is not useful. Future research would look to uncover which of dozens (or hundreds) of genes influence the response to one drug or another.
I.e. you would need a subgroup analysis of 'bipolars' to see which respond to antidepressants. There are some studies that show that (at least for some bipolars) antidepressants can acts as mood stabilizers. I recall one head to head study of venlafaxine vs. lithium in bipolar II showed that venlafaxine was more effective and didn't lead to instability.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:1109960
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20200511/msgs/1110067.html