The need for new and better antidepressants: reboxetine a new option.

The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have obtained global attention but have not demonstrated superior efficacy in major depression compared with older tricyclic antidepressants. From a pharmacological viewpoint the noradrenergic system in the brain appears to have a central role in neurotransmitter organization. The importance of noradrenaline in depression is supported by its association with clinical parameters such as vigilance and drive. Reboxetine is a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor--the first in its class to be marketed. In both preclinical and clinical studies reboxetine has been found to be an effective and safe antidepressant. Furthermore, reboxetine restores a patients' social functioning, producing a better quality of remission than fluoxetine.