Atomoxetine: Effects And Uses Of This Psychotropic Drug
The treatment of different mental disorders can be carried out through various means. One of them has to do with the modification of brain chemistry through the use of psychotropic drugs, generating through said modification that the symptoms are reduced.
Most psychotropic drugs have been synthesized with a specific problem in mind, but often their mechanisms of action are effective for more than one problem. Atomoxetine is one of these products of which you will find a brief description in this article.
Atomoxetine is a psychotropic drug created as an antidepressant which acts as a specific inhibitor of norepinephrine reuptake. It is a substance derived from methylphenoxy-benzenepropanamine that has effects similar to those of norepinephrine and adrenaline.
The effects of this substance translate into an increase in the ability to control impulsive behavior and greater ability to concentrate. It also seems to generate improvements in working memory capacity and response inhibition, presenting positive effects on executive functions.
It also has a nootropic effect helping to maintain concentration and give a better response at a cognitive level, generates positive effects on memory and the development of strategies.
Mechanism of action
As we have said before, atomoxetine is an SNRI or specific noradrenaline or norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. This implies that it prevents norepinephrine from being reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron after being emitted, so that said neurotransmitter remains available in the synaptic space and can be used by the postsynaptic neuron. In short, the main effect of atomoxetine is the increase in norepinephrine levels, as a partial agonist.
The action of atomoxetine occurs at the level of the entire brain, with effects observed in areas such as the hypothalamus, hippocampus, cerebellum and prefrontal. This reuptake block is very specific for norepinephrine and it practically does not affect serotonin or dopamine, although in the latter case an increase is observed in the prefrontal. It also appears to increase acetylcholine levels.
Main uses of atomoxetine
Although as an antidepressant It was designed with the purpose of acting on people with depressive disorders atomoxetine is not usually used in this type of problem due to the greater effectiveness of other substances.
Its main use, and for which it has demonstrated the greatest effectiveness, It is for the pharmacological treatment of patients with ADHD Despite this, it is not a drug whose effect is psychostimulant, like most medications that treat this problem. In fact, it is the first non-stimulant psychotropic drug approved and indicated for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
This is positive, since patients with this disorder can present comorbid tic disorders, which can worsen if stimulant medication is used (which is the main pharmacological treatment applied in subjects with ADHD). For this reason, atomoxetine can be a very effective treatment that, since it is not a stimulant type, does not exacerbate the symptoms of tic disorders. The beneficial effects are observed in both minors and adults.
Likewise, it is also indicated in cases of narcolepsy.
Side effects
Like all medications, atomoxetine can cause various undesirable side effects The severity of these secondary symptoms can vary, but they are generally mild symptoms.
Some of the most frequent are anorexia (understood as lack of appetite), certain weight loss linked to the above, gastrointestinal problems such as nausea and vomiting, irritability and drowsiness In adults it can also cause sweating and loss of sexual desire, as well as urinary and fecal retention.
At the cardiovascular level it can also cause alterations, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. Therefore, it is contraindicated in people with cardiac disorders. It is also not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding
However, the most worrying side effect that is shared with other antidepressants is the increase in suicidal ideation in minors, as well as aggression, anxiety or behavioral or mood alterations Extreme caution is necessary especially when starting treatment or changing the dose.
