On the limited availability of classic MAOIs in Belgium: the “call for action” extended

Abstract

Cite this article: Van den Eynde V. On the limited availability of classic MAOIs in Belgium: the "call for action" extended. CNS Spectrums

Treatment‐resistant depression invites persistent reflection

“…However, broad‐action tricyclics have been quantified as superior to narrow‐action selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in those with melancholic depression, with differential effectiveness increasing with older age of the patient 4 , while the dual‐action antidepressants appear to have intermediate efficacy. Any such gradient might then logically argue for a TRD management model whereby those with melancholia not responding to an SSRI then receive a broader‐action antidepressant – perhaps a dual‐action antidepressant, followed by a TCA, and then possibly a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) – with MAOIs long positioned as strong candidates for managing treatment‐resistant melancholia 5 .…”