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Research Highlights

Nature Reviews Neuroscience 9, 252 (1 April 2008) | doi:10.1038/nrn2369

Depressing news

Claudia Wiedemann

Millions of people suffering from mild to severe depression recently heard that the pills they are taking are no better than placebo in treating their condition. This news story was based on a meta-analysis, published in PLoS Medicine, of a large number of clinical trials that resulted in the licensing of four of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants: the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Prozac, Seroxat, Effexor and Serzone.