Influence of depression and antidepressants on weight.

Depression is often combined with loss of appetite and weight. Treatment with some psychotropic drugs, especially many of the tricyclic antidepressives, causes weight gain. Zimelidine, an antidepressive drug with selective inhibitory effect on the reuptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) causes no weight gain in treated patients. As even weight loss is seen it can be discussed whether the drug has an inhibitory effect on feeding behaviour. This would be theoretical interest as animal experiments show that 5-HT may be an anorectic transmitter. It is also of practical importance as then the embarrassing side effect of weight gain might be avoided in antidepressive treatment.