Antidepressants (NaSSAs)
- Alpha-2 block → ↑ NE + serotonin release
- Mirtazapine is the prototype
- MDD with insomnia/low appetite is a niche
- Strong H1 block → sedation + weight gain
- Little sexual dysfunction vs SSRIs/SNRIs
- Lower doses are often more sedating
- Not a clinically important SRI
Class at a glance
- Alpha-2 block → ↑ NE + serotonin release
Practical pearls
- Mirtazapine is the prototype
Other practical pearls
- MDD with insomnia/low appetite is a niche
- Not a clinically important SRI
Safety / monitoring
- Strong H1 block → sedation + weight gain
- Little sexual dysfunction vs SSRIs/SNRIs
- Lower doses are often more sedating
Self-check
- How does Antidepressants (NaSSAs) work?
Alpha-2 block → ↑ NE + serotonin release. - Which NaSSA is the prototype?
Mirtazapine.
Drugs in this class (3)
All drug classes · Open Antidepressants (NaSSAs) in the interactive console ↗