Neuroprotective Benefits of Antidepressants in Multiple Sclerosis: Are We Missing the Mark?

Abstract

The potential of antidepressant medication to have a neuroprotective effect for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) has received increased interest in recent years. The possibility of antidepressants, particularly fluoxetine, for potential repurposing to treat primary progressive and secondary progressive MS is of interest as a result of the relative lack of disease-modifying medications for these subtypes. A number of animal studies have found positive results for a neuroprotective effect of antidepressant use in MS, with human studies showing mixed results. These human studies all have a significant limitation: they exclude people with moderate to severe depressive symptoms, a core symptom..