Antidepressants and major depressive disorder

There have been significant advances in the pharmacotherapy of depression in recent years. Clinicians now have available a broad range of efficacious and safe medications, which have been studied in randomized controlled trials and compared in rigorous meta-analyses. However, much remains to be understood about the pathogenesis of depression and about the mechanisms of action of antidepressants. In this nine-chapter book, renowned international experts have convened to address the different classes of pharmacotherapy currently available. In his opening chapter, the Editor provides some context regarding the past and future development of antidepressants and he offers his thoughts on how best to define and classify the antidepressants. The closing chapter covers patient assessment, treatment algorithms and consensus guidelines. This volume provides a very useful summary of current thinking and practice on each of the major antidepressant classes and is presented in a user-friendly format.