SSRIs are a very effective medication for treating depression. The first of its kind was called Prozac which came to the market in the late 1980s.

Certain chemicals in the brain are related to depression including the neurotransmitter serotonin. Researchers suggest that abnormalities in the activity of neurotransmitter can cause mood swings and affect a person’s behavior. SSRIs help in treating this problem by inhibiting the re-absorption of serotonin by certain brain nerve cells and thus lift mood and relieve symptoms of depression. By stopping the re-absorption of this chemical, there is an overall greater amount of available serotonin in the brain. This increases neurotransmission and this improves a person’s mood. SSRIs are often termed as a selective drug as they only affect the serotonin level and not other neurotransmitters.

It is often thought that such anti-depressants are so effective because they cause the brain receptors to help nerve cells keep the sensitivity of glutamate in check. This support from the nerve cells ensures that the glutamate sensitivity is not abnormally high. If that had happened then a person would be more anxious and depressed.