Antidepressant in the context of "Pseudoelement symbol"

In the early hours of 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales died from injuries sustained in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France. Dodi Fayed, Diana's partner, and the driver, Mercedes-Benz chauffeur Henri Paul, were both found dead inside the car. Diana's bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, was the only survivor of the crash, albeit seriously injured. The subsequent investigation into the crash remained controversial for decades, with many challenging the official narrative of Diana's death.

In 1999, a French investigation concluded that Paul, who was intoxicated and under the influence of prescription drugs, lost control of the vehicle at high speed. The report held him solely responsible for the crash. Paul was the deputy head of security at the Hôtel Ritz Paris and had earlier confronted paparazzi waiting for Diana and Fayed outside the hotel. Antidepressants and traces of an anti-psychotic found in his blood may have compounded his impairment. In 2008, a British inquest, Operation Paget, returned a verdict of unlawful killing, citing the grossly negligent driving of both Paul and the pursuing paparazzi. While initial media reports suggested Rees-Jones survived because he was wearing a seat belt, later investigations confirmed that none of the car's occupants were belted.

Tooth decay, also known as caries, is the breakdown of teeth due to acids produced by bacteria. The resulting cavities may be many different colors, from yellow to black. Symptoms may include pain and difficulty eating. Complications may include inflammation of the tissue around the tooth, tooth loss and infection or abscess formation. Tooth regeneration is an ongoing stem cell–based field of study that aims to find methods to reverse the effects of decay; current methods are based on easing symptoms.

The cause of cavities is acid from bacteria dissolving the hard tissues of the teeth (enamel, dentin, and cementum). The acid is produced by the bacteria when they break down food debris or sugar on the tooth surface. Simple sugars in food are these bacteria's primary energy source, and thus a diet high in simple sugar is a risk factor. If mineral breakdown is greater than buildup from sources such as saliva, caries results. Risk factors include conditions that result in less saliva, such as diabetes mellitus, Sjögren syndrome, and some medications. Medications that decrease saliva production include psychostimulants, antihistamines, and antidepressants. Dental caries are also associated with poverty, poor cleaning of the mouth, and receding gums resulting in exposure of the roots of the teeth.

Depressants, also known as central nervous system depressants, or colloquially known as "downers", are a class of psychoactive drugs characterised by decreasing neurotransmission levels, decreasing the electrical activity of brain cells, or reducing arousal or stimulation in various areas of the brain. Commonly used depressants include alcohol, opioids, and benzodiazepines. Some specific depressants influence mood, either positively (e.g., opioids) or negatively (e.g., alcohol), but depressants often have no clear impact on mood (e.g., most anticonvulsants). In contrast, stimulants, or "uppers", increase mental alertness, making stimulants the opposite drug class from depressants. Antidepressants are defined by their effect on mood, not on general brain activity, so they form an orthogonal category of drugs.

Depressants are closely related to sedatives as a category of drugs, with significant overlap. The terms may sometimes be used interchangeably or may be used in somewhat different contexts. Nearly all commonly used depressants are addictive, and use of them carries the risk of death from respiratory depression, especially in opioids.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of drugs that are typically used as antidepressants in the treatment of major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and other psychological conditions.

SSRIs primarily work by blocking serotonin reabsorption (reuptake) via the serotonin transporter, leading to gradual changes in brain signaling and receptor regulation, with some also interacting with sigma-1 receptors, particularly fluvoxamine, which may contribute to cognitive effects. Marketed SSRIs include six main antidepressants—citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline—and dapoxetine, which is indicated for premature ejaculation. Fluoxetine has been approved for veterinary use in the treatment of canine separation anxiety.

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is often defined as major depressive disorder in which an affected person does not respond adequately to at least two different antidepressant medications at an adequate dose and for an adequate duration. Electroconvulsive therapy, ketamine, esketamine, and psilocybin are the most effective and safe first-line treatments for treatment-resistant depression.

Inadequate response has most commonly been defined as less than 25% reduction in depressive symptoms following treatment with an antidepressant. Many clinicians and researchers question the construct validity and clinical utility of treatment-resistant depression as currently conceptualized. There is ongoing debate as to whether inadequate response to other treatment modalities, such as psychotherapy, should be included in defining TRD.

Dextromethorphan, sold under the brand name Robitussin among others, is a cough suppressant used in many cough and cold medicines. In 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the combination dextromethorphan/bupropion to serve as a rapid-acting antidepressant in people with major depressive disorder.

It is in the morphinan class of medications with dissociative and stimulant properties (at lower doses). Dextromethorphan does not have a significant affinity for the mu-opioid receptor activity typical of morphinan compounds and exerts its therapeutic effects through several other receptors. In its pure form, dextromethorphan occurs as a white powder.