Unlocking new uses: The promise of antidepressants in treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's through Neuroinflammation modulation.
Unlocking new uses: The promise of antidepressants in treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's through Neuroinflammation modulation.
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Original abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), are characterized by progressive cognitive and motor decline, largely driven by chronic neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Conventional therapies primarily provide symptomatic relief without targeting underlying disease mechanisms. Emerging evidence suggests that antidepressants, beyond their canonical role in mood regulation, exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neurotrophic effects that may modulate disease progression. Preclinical studies demonstrate that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) can reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines, attenuate glial activation, enhance neurotrophic signaling, and improve cognitive and motor function in experimental models of AD and PD. Clinical findings are mixed, with some antidepressants showing modest cognitive or symptomatic benefits, particularly in patients with comorbid depression, while others may pose risks due to anticholinergic effects or interference with neuronal autophagy. This narrative review synthesizes mechanistic and translational evidence on the off-label use of antidepressants for neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting the potential of drug repurposing to target neuroinflammation and support neuroprotection, while emphasizing the need for careful patient-specific therapy selection.