A class of drugs that are commonly prescribed to treat depression, and anxiety may also help improve brain function and memory, claimed a study.
The study, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, showed that SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) antidepressants have the potential to improve certain cognitive functions, such as verbal memory.
Verbal memory is the ability to remember words, sentences, stories, and other information presented through language.
Serotonin is often described as a ‘feel good’ chemical, and higher levels of serotonin circulating in the brain contribute to a sense of well-being, and can ease clinical depression in most sufferers.
Researchers from the Copenhagen University Hospital in the Netherlands measured brain function in 90 patients before and after taking the SSRI escitalopram daily for eight weeks.
