What is it about?
Long term use of antidepressants is associated with a small increase in the risk of developing diabetes. Here we show that this adverse action may in part be due to antidepressants selectively damaging part of the cellular process by which the cells that secrete insulin detect blood glucose. In doing so these cells release an insufficient amount of insulin into the body such that blood glucose is poorly controlled~: an effect that may lead to the development of diabetes.
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Why is it important?
Both diabetes and depression are globally on the increase and are major health and economic burdens. Possession of one condition can lead to the other, here we expose a cellular mechanism by which the medication used to control depression may exacerbate the incidence of diabetes. In doing so we provide a mechanism for this phenomenon, which hopefully will enourage a review of the use of such drugs and research into how such effects may be prevented
Perspectives
Adverse drug effects on the life of our planet is an area I am passionate about, publication of this article adds to the knowledge base of such effects.
Paul Smith
University of Nottingham
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This page is a summary of: Therapeutic Concentrations of Antidepressants Inhibit Pancreatic Beta-Cell Function via Mitochondrial Complex Inhibition, Toxicological Sciences, May 2017, Oxford University Press (OUP),
DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfx090.
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