http://cache.io9.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/io9.com.png http://io9.com/tag/prozac http://io9.com/tag/prozac So many humans are taking Prozac that traces of the antidepressant drug are showing up in the Great Lakes of the United States, where bacteria are dying as a result. Microbiologist Steve Mauro has studied water samples from the Great Lakes in Erie, Pennsylvania, and found that Prozac ingredient fluoxetine is killing E. coli, a common bacteria that lives in many places, including the human gut. More »
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Doctors have prescribed antidepressants for decades without fully understanding why they helped people. Yes, they increase serotonin levels in the brain, but a new study gives a clear picture of what else these drugs do to us. More »
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At first blush, you want to chuck this in the "no-kidding-that's-why-it's-abused" department. But the horse tranquilizer and hallucinogenic pleasure drug ketamine may have found a clinical home next to Prozac. A serious study by people smarter than most of us suggests ketamine ("Special K" to friends and close acquaintances) restores normal activity in an area of the brain that's usually in overdrive in people with diagnosed clinical depression. More »
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Will soldiers of the future be given serotonin depressors to make them depressed and therefore fearless? A new study released Friday shows that people with a low level of serotonin do not "reflexively avoid" bad situations, and are more likely to explore risky and dangerous places. This is a sorry state in everyday life, but might be desirable if you're a soldier and need to venture into spots most people would steer clear of. It's very possible the next "super soldier" drug won't give you superstrength, but just a megadose of depression. More »
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