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 Concept Videos

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents01:23

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

698
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...
698
Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs01:28

Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs

1.2K
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs), including Desipramine (Norpramin), Imipramine (Tofranil), Clomipramine (Anafranil), and Amitriptyline (Elavil), inhibit serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake and also block other receptors. They are used for depression, pain conditions, and insomnia. Common adverse effects include anticholinergic effects, sedation, orthostatic hypotension, and weight gain. They have a narrow therapeutic window and so require plasma-level monitoring. Abrupt discontinuation can...
1.2K
Antidepressant Drugs: Overview01:25

Antidepressant Drugs: Overview

1.2K
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...
1.2K
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine01:27

CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine

898
Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
898
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents01:17

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

416
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...
416
Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview01:26

Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview

931
Anxiolytic drugs are vital in managing anxiety disorders by effectively alleviating symptoms such as excessive fear, tachycardia, and tremors. There are several classes of anxiolytic medications, each with unique mechanisms of action and potential side effects.
Primary Types of Anxiolytic Drugs
1. Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines bind to the GABA-A receptor in the brain, enhancing GABA's interaction. This action reduces neurotransmission, effectively blocking anxiety-associated limbic...
931

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Challenges in advising people with severe mental illness to quit smoking: A conversation analysis of patient resistance.

Patient education and counseling·2026
Same author

Scoping review of e-cigarette use in the perioperative setting: a protocol.

BMJ open·2026
Same author

Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Treatments for Suicidality in People Living with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): A Systematic Review.

Administration and policy in mental health·2026
Same author

Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation: An overview of systematic reviews and evidence and gap map.

Addiction (Abingdon, England)·2026
Same author

Reduced-nicotine cigarettes for smoking cessation and reduction.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
Same author

Is behaviour change communication guidance for general practice healthcare professionals evidence based? A systematic review.

BMC medicine·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
Same journal

Preconception and first-trimester metformin for improving pregnancy outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

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

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 23, 2025

Network Pharmacology and Validation of the Antidepressant Mechanisms of Qiangzhifang in a Chronic Restraint Stress-induced Depression Rat Model
08:15

Network Pharmacology and Validation of the Antidepressant Mechanisms of Qiangzhifang in a Chronic Restraint Stress-induced Depression Rat Model

Published on: June 6, 2025

453

Antidepressants for smoking cessation.

Seth Howes1, Jamie Hartmann-Boyce1, Jonathan Livingstone-Banks1

  • 1University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Oxford, UK.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|April 23, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Bupropion effectively aids long-term smoking cessation, but increases adverse events and treatment discontinuation. Nortriptyline also shows benefits, though bupropion is less effective than varenicline for quitting smoking.

More Related Videos

Vagus Nerve Stimulation As an Adjunctive Neurostimulation Tool in Treatment-resistant Depression
04:29

Vagus Nerve Stimulation As an Adjunctive Neurostimulation Tool in Treatment-resistant Depression

Published on: January 7, 2019

29.3K
Electroencephalographic, Heart Rate, and Galvanic Skin Response Assessment for an Advertising Perception Study: Application to Antismoking Public Service Announcements
06:39

Electroencephalographic, Heart Rate, and Galvanic Skin Response Assessment for an Advertising Perception Study: Application to Antismoking Public Service Announcements

Published on: August 28, 2017

14.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 23, 2025

Network Pharmacology and Validation of the Antidepressant Mechanisms of Qiangzhifang in a Chronic Restraint Stress-induced Depression Rat Model
08:15

Network Pharmacology and Validation of the Antidepressant Mechanisms of Qiangzhifang in a Chronic Restraint Stress-induced Depression Rat Model

Published on: June 6, 2025

453
Vagus Nerve Stimulation As an Adjunctive Neurostimulation Tool in Treatment-resistant Depression
04:29

Vagus Nerve Stimulation As an Adjunctive Neurostimulation Tool in Treatment-resistant Depression

Published on: January 7, 2019

29.3K
Electroencephalographic, Heart Rate, and Galvanic Skin Response Assessment for an Advertising Perception Study: Application to Antismoking Public Service Announcements
06:39

Electroencephalographic, Heart Rate, and Galvanic Skin Response Assessment for an Advertising Perception Study: Application to Antismoking Public Service Announcements

Published on: August 28, 2017

14.7K

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology and Addiction Medicine
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Clinical Trial Analysis

Background:

  • Antidepressants may help smoking cessation by alleviating nicotine withdrawal-induced depressive symptoms.
  • Specific antidepressant mechanisms may target neural pathways involved in nicotine addiction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of antidepressant medications for long-term smoking cessation.
  • To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing antidepressants with placebo or other cessation aids.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of 115 RCTs (minimum 6-month follow-up for efficacy).
  • Data extraction and risk of bias assessment using Cochrane methods; GRADE for certainty of evidence.
  • Primary outcome: smoking cessation rates; secondary outcomes: adverse events (AEs), serious adverse events (SAEs), and treatment discontinuation.

Main Results:

  • High-certainty evidence shows bupropion increases long-term smoking cessation (RR 1.64).
  • Bupropion increases trial dropouts due to AEs (RR 1.37) and psychiatric AEs (RR 1.25).
  • Nortriptyline shows some evidence of aiding cessation (RR 2.03); bupropion is less effective than varenicline.

Conclusions:

  • Bupropion is effective for smoking cessation but associated with increased AEs and discontinuations.
  • Nortriptyline also appears beneficial; bupropion's efficacy is comparable to NRT but lower than varenicline.
  • Limited evidence for other antidepressants; further research on safety and tolerability is warranted.