New antidepressant drug treats depression and does not affect sexual function

Antidepressant medications have long been viewed with a negative light. Even though they are usually effective at treating depressive symptoms, they often negatively affect sexual function for individuals who take the medication.

A new antidepressant drug that has just been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, may not carry the negative sexual side effects that most other antidepressant medications do.

The new drug is called Viibryd (vilazodone) is the first of its kind to have two separate reactions.

Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor drugs, or SSRIs, only affect serotonin within the brain. The most common SSRI medications are Zoloft and Prozac.

Viibryd contains the SSRI element that other antidepressants do, but also has a 5HT1A receptor to influence the 5HT gene.

A study showed that the drug could effectively improve major depression symptoms in one week or less, and sexual function was no different for individuals who were medicated with Viibryd.

The entire study can be found in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Viibryd is said to be available in three months, according to Clinical Data, Inc., the drug’s manufacturer.