SSRI Therapy for Depression: Better With Acupuncture

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants, but their effectiveness can be improved with electroacupuncture, suggests new research.

Researchers evaluating 100 patients at Guangzhou First People’s Hospital (China) diagnosed with major depressive disorder – for which SSRIs are considered a first-line treatment in both adults and children – administered an SSRI (escitalopram) to half of the patients; and escitalopram plus electroacupuncture to the remaining half. Average patient age was 43.25 years, and treatment lasted six weeks.

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