neurodudes

Platelet-Derived Serotonin Mediates Liver Regeneration — Lesurtel et al. 312 (5770): 104 — Science

Although it is not suggested by this paper (which was brought to my attention by F1000 biology), I’d like to suggest this as a very, very naive hypothesis: That some part of the anti-depressant effect of SSRIs could be mediated by their ability to promote liver regeneration, as the above Science article suggests. The paper itself details how 5HT-2A and 2B receptors are upregulated during regeneration and how 2A & 2B antagonists slow regeneration.

There is some evidence for a connection between liver disease and depression. (Also, traditional chinese medicine views depression as a disease of the liver.) Without a doubt, the liver plays a well-established role in general detoxification.

Although I have no evidence to suspect it, I think it would be interesting to see if the SSRIs were leading to increased liver serotonin, resulting in liver regeneration and hence less depression.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 17th, 2006 at 2:01 pm by Neville Sanjana and is filed under Medicine, Neuropharmacology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.