Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

Atypical antidepressants, including bupropion (Wellbutrin), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone (Serzone), trazodone (Desyrel), and vilazodone (Viibryd), offer unique mechanisms of action. Bupropion weakly inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake, aiding depression treatment and smoking cessation, with a low risk of sexual dysfunction. Mirtazapine enhances serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmission, leading to sedation, increased appetite, and weight gain. As a result, it helps treat...

Antidepressant Drugs: Overview

Antidepressant Drugs: Overview

Antidepressant drugs are a class of medications primarily used for treating various mood disorders, including major depression, anxiety disorders, and other related conditions. These medicines work by modulating the neurotransmitter balance within the brain, alleviating depressive symptoms. Antidepressants can be broadly categorized into several groups according to their mechanism of action and chemical structure: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Serotonin-Norepinephrine...

Psychosurgery

Psychosurgery

Psychosurgery, the surgical alteration or permanent removal of brain tissue to alleviate severe psychological conditions, stands as one of the most radical and controversial treatments in the history of mental health care. Its development and application have evolved significantly, marked by dramatic shifts in scientific understanding and ethical perspectives.
Historical Development of Psychosurgery
In the 1930s, Portuguese neurologist Antonio Egas Moniz introduced a surgical procedure designed...

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...

Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy

Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy

Antipsychotic drugs are a crucial treatment method for acute and chronic psychoses, bipolar illness, and behavioral disorders. The selection of these drugs depends on several factors, including the state of the disease, clinical judgment, possible drug interactions, and the patient's sensitivity to adverse effects. In immediate scenarios, such as delirium and dementia, short-term treatment with low doses of high-potency typical or atypical agents can effectively manage symptom exacerbation. For...

Management of Insomnia

Management of Insomnia

The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Preliminary efficacy of a self-guided mobile intervention for reducing stress in depression: A randomized controlled crossover trial.

Journal of affective disorders·2026

Same author

Brexpiprazole for the Treatment of Agitation Associated with Dementia due to Alzheimer's Disease: Clinical Perspectives.

Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology·2026

Same author

IUPHAR review: Microbiota-gut-brain axis and its role in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Pharmacological research·2025

Same author

Low Psychological Resilience Predict the Risk for Alcohol Use Disorder in General Population: National Mental Health Survey of Korea 2021.

Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology·2025

Same author

The Risk of Dementia after Anesthesia Differs according to the Mode of Anesthesia and Individual Anesthetic Agent.

Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology·2025

Same author

Changes in suicide inequalities in the context of an increase and a decrease in suicide mortality: The case of South Korea, 1995-2020.

Social science & medicine (1982)·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

How to Use the H1 Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Coil for Conditions Other than Depression

How to Use the H1 Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Coil for Conditions Other than Depression

Published on: January 23, 2017

Oral scopolamine augmentation for major depression.

Changsu Han¹, Chi-Un Pae

¹Department of Psychiatry, Ansan Hospital, Korea University, College of Medicine, Ansan, Kyeonggi-Do, South Korea.

Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics

|December 21, 2012

Summary

Augmenting antidepressants with scopolamine may improve treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). This study explored its efficacy and safety in a randomized controlled trial, offering insights for difficult-to-treat MDD patients.

More Related Videos

Individualized rTMS Treatment for Depression using an fMRI-Based Targeting Method

Individualized rTMS Treatment for Depression using an fMRI-Based Targeting Method

Published on: August 2, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 15, 2026

How to Use the H1 Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Coil for Conditions Other than Depression

How to Use the H1 Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Coil for Conditions Other than Depression

Published on: January 23, 2017

Individualized rTMS Treatment for Depression using an fMRI-Based Targeting Method

Individualized rTMS Treatment for Depression using an fMRI-Based Targeting Method

Published on: August 2, 2021

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychiatry
Pharmacology

Background:

Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects many, with current antidepressants like SSRIs showing limited remission rates.
Nearly 70% of MDD patients do not achieve full remission with initial treatment, increasing relapse risks.
Effective augmentation strategies are crucial for managing difficult-to-treat MDD cases.

Discussion:

Augmentation avoids treatment delays and potential efficacy loss associated with switching antidepressants.
It can enhance existing antidepressant effects or create synergistic outcomes.
Oral scopolamine, an anticholinergic agent, was investigated as an augmentation strategy in a recent randomized controlled trial.

Key Insights:

The study by Khajavi et al. evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral scopolamine augmentation in moderate-to-severe MDD.
Results from this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial are summarized.
The article presents clinical implications, practical issues, and potential pitfalls of this treatment approach.

Outlook:

Further research is needed to fully understand the potential of scopolamine augmentation in MDD treatment.
Identifying optimal patient populations and dosages for scopolamine augmentation is a key future direction.
Exploring the long-term efficacy and safety profile of this augmentation strategy is essential.