Prof Nutt's Nuggets! Part Two.

We next return to Professor Nutt for his top neuroscience nuggets for 2013.

David -   Third thing is also another medication which is a drug called vortioxetine and this is the first new antidepressant in the last decade.  It's a new kind of antidepressant.  It's got some serotonin reuptake inhibiting properties, but it's also engineered in the molecule a very significant number of receptor interactions.  It's 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist, runs on a 5-HT1D receptor as well.  This is a really molecule because it does seem, as well as being an antidepressant, also have some particular ability to improve cognitive function such as poor retention and concentration in depression which is a symptom in depression that hadn't really being particularly helped by other antidepressants.  So, to my mind, this is exciting and also, it is great to know that there is still innovation in the field of depression which is as many of you will probably realise, the largest cause of disability in the western world now.

Hannah -   Thanks to David Nutt.