Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Amitriptyline for depression.

G Guaiana, C Barbui, M Hotopf

    The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
    |July 20, 2007
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Amitriptyline shows comparable efficacy to other antidepressants but has a higher side-effect burden. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are better tolerated than amitriptyline, despite similar response rates.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Resilient outcomes in people with a history of mental disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic: an international 2-years longitudinal prospective study.

    Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology·2025
    Same author

    (Fear of) SARS-CoV-2 infection and psychological distress: a population-based cohort study in southern Switzerland.

    Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences·2024
    Same author

    The relationship between wearable-derived sleep features and relapse in Major Depressive Disorder.

    Journal of affective disorders·2024
    Same author

    Sickness absence and associations with sociodemographic factors, health risk behaviours, occupational stressors and adverse mental health in 40,343 UK police employees.

    Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences·2024
    Same author

    The association between persistent cognitive difficulties and depression and functional outcomes in people with major depressive disorder.

    Psychological medicine·2023
    Same author

    The usability of daytime and night-time heart rate dynamics as digital biomarkers of depression severity.

    Psychological medicine·2023
    Same journal

    Interventions for smoking cessation in inpatient psychiatry settings.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    Same journal

    Mechanical thromboprophylaxis for preventing intradialytic hypotension in people undergoing maintenance haemodialysis.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    Same journal

    Prognostic models for predicting intensive care unit admission or mortality in critically ill adults not yet been admitted to the intensive care unit.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    Same journal

    Views and experiences of weight management for people living with mobility‑limiting conditions, intellectual disabilities or severe mental illness: a qualitative evidence synthesis.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    Same journal

    Non-pharmacological interventions for anxiety and depression in Parkinson's disease.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    Same journal

    Biologic drugs for induction and maintenance of remission in Crohn's disease: a network meta-analysis.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    See all related articles

    Area of Science:

    • Pharmacology
    • Clinical Trials
    • Systematic Reviews

    Background:

    • Amitriptyline has been a reference treatment for depression for many years.
    • Newer antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), offer potential improvements in tolerability and efficacy.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To systematically review and compare the tolerability and efficacy of amitriptyline against other tricyclic/heterocyclic antidepressants and SSRIs.

    Main Methods:

    • A systematic review of randomized controlled trials was conducted.
    • Data on patient response, study completion, and side effects were extracted and analyzed.

    Main Results:

    • Amitriptyline demonstrated statistically significant efficacy compared to control antidepressants (OR 1.12, NNTB = 50).

    Related Experiment Videos

  • However, amitriptyline had a significantly higher rate of side effects (OR 0.66) and was less well tolerated than SSRIs (OR 0.84, NNTH = 40).
  • Efficacy was comparable across drug classes, but amitriptyline was more effective in inpatients than outpatients.

    • Conclusions:

    • Amitriptyline is as efficacious as other antidepressants but carries a greater side-effect burden.
    • SSRIs are better tolerated than amitriptyline, with no significant difference in response rates.
    • The clinical significance of observed efficacy differences requires further evaluation.