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hi mary you wrote: >I've done a couple of unsuccessful searches for >"seratonin syndrome" mentioned in a recent post. >Would someone please define this term? i've described clinical depression as being caused by 'serotonin slippage' and the ssri anti-depressants as 'serotonin grabbers' there has been some concern that some mao-inhibitors, e.g. eldepryl/deprenyl/selegiline, may interfere with that process and cause a reaction however, i also understand that the 'serotonin syndrome' reaction is quite rare. i have been taking eldepryl for nine years and an ssri anti-depressant for six years without any conflicts [as far as i can tell, at least!] this is the way alan bonander described 'serotonin syndrome' in 1996: >Serotonin syndrome arises when an anti-depressant >that inhibits reuptake reacts with a monoamine >oxidase inhibitor. >Drugs that increase serotonin activity in the brain are: >SSRI (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil), >TCAD (Elavil, Pamelor, Desyrel), Lithium, Tryptophan. >The monoamine oxidase inhibitor is Eldepryl (selegine, deprenyl). this is one of the abstracts about selegiline which was posted recently: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ABSTRACT: Serotonin syndrome and the combined use of deprenyl and an antidepressant in Parkinson's disease. Parkinson Study Group. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The manufacturer of deprenyl (selegeline; Eldepryl) (Somerset Pharmaceuticals, Tampa, FL) recently advised physicians to avoid prescribing the drug in combination with an antidepressant because of potentially serious CNS toxicity that may represent the serotonin syndrome. Manifestations of the serotonin syndrome vary but may include changes in mental status and motor and autonomic function. To better estimate the frequency of the serotonin syndrome in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) treated with deprenyl and an antidepressant, we surveyed all investigators in the Parkinson Study Group. Based on estimates provided by the 47 investigators (75%) who responded, 4,568 patients were treated with the combination of deprenyl and an antidepressant medication. Eleven patients (0.24%) were reported to have experienced symptoms possibly consistent with the serotonin syndrome. Only two patients (0.04%) experienced symptoms considered to be serious. No deaths were reported. We also reviewed all published case reports and adverse experiences reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the manufacturer of Eldepryl. Available information indicates that serious adverse experiences resulting from the combined use of deprenyl and an antidepressant medication in patients with PD are quite rare and that the frequency of the true "serotonin syndrome" is even rarer. Neurology 1997 Apr;48(4):1070-1077 Richard IH, Kurlan R, Tanner C, Factor S, Hubble J, Suchowersky O, Waters C University of Rochester Medical Center, NY 14642-8673, USA. PMID: 9109902, MUID: 97264030 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- [log in to unmask]