tricyclic antidepressants
Tricyclics (TCAs) are among the oldest antidepressants. They work by inhibiting the brain’s reuptake or serotonin and norepinephrine. They also partially inhibit the reabsorption of dopamine.Because the tricyclics have such a broad mechanism of action, they tend to cause more side effects than the other classes of antidepressants. For this reason, the SSRIs and the atypical antidepressants are the preferred class of antidepressants.
TYPES OF TCAS
TYPES OF TCAS
- Amitriptyline
- Clomipramine
- Desipramine
- Doxepin
- Imipramine
TCAs work by reducing levels of monoamines in the brain. TCAs binding to 5-HT and noradrenaline reuptake transporters prevents the reuptake of these monoamines from the synaptic cleft and their subsequent degradation. This reuptake blockade leads to the accumulation of 5-HT and noradrenaline in the synaptic cleft and the concentration returns to within the normal range.