Treatment of depression secondary to pain (DSP)

Abstract

The present invention develops methods for treating or preventing depression secondary to atypical pain (DSP). The methods generally comprise administering an effective amount of a monoamine reuptake inhibitor to treat or prevent the symptoms of DSP. In a preferred embodiment, a therapeutically effective dose of a specific type of dual serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SRNI) compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered. Most preferably the SNRI compounds are non-tricyclic SNRIs, wherein the serotonin reuptake inhibition is stronger than norepinephrine reuptake inhibition; NSRIs, wherein the norepinephrine reuptake inhibition is stronger than serotonin reuptake inhibition inhibition. The most preferred compound is milnacipran or a bioequivalent or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Other preferred compounds are duloxetine, venlafaxine or bioequivalent or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. In another embodiment, a therapeutically effective amount of a particular type of non-tricyclic triple reuptake inhibitor ("TRI") compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, is administered. TRI compounds are characterized by blocking the reuptake (and thus increasing central concentrations) of three major brain monoamines: serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine.

Description

technical field The field of the invention relates to the treatment of atypical depression complicated by chronic pain. Background technique Chronic pain is thought to contribute to the high incidence of clinical depression, with estimates suggesting that almost two-thirds of patients with chronic nonmalignant pain also have comorbidities of depression or anxiety. One of the problems with treating chronic pain is that so little is known about what causes a painful state to emerge. Acute pain occurs when an individual experiences an acute injury. Chronic pain is further complicated by the fact that it often occurs in the absence of disease and is difficult to treat with conventional analgesics. Chronic pain is usually secondary to an acute injury but persists for unknown reasons after the injury has healed. Chronic pain can also be caused by having a condition like chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), arthritis, or a disease like cancer or multiple...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Although monoamine oxidase inhibitors are effective in the treatment of atypical depression, their side effects and prescription-related dietary restrictions impair their suitability as first-line treatment

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