Neil R. Jeyasingam: How do antidepressants work?

How do antidepressants work?

In the 1950s, the discovery of two new drugs sparked what would become a multi-billion dollar market for antidepressants. Neither drug was intended to treat depression at all— many doctors and scientists believed psychotherapy was the only approach to treatment. Neil R. Jeyasingam details the decades-long journey that followed and how it revolutionized our understanding of depression. [Directed by Skirmanta Jakaitė and Art Shot, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Salil Bhayani].

The accidental discovery of two drugs in the 1950s launched a multibillion-dollar antidepressant industry, even though neither was designed to treat depression. Early theories claimed these drugs corrected a simple chemical imbalance, but decades of research revealed the real story is far more complex. While selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Prozac brought fewer side effects and less stigma, not everyone responds to them. Science still cannot fully explain why antidepressants work or why depression affects people so differently.