Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors

[Page 3078]Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are a class of medications utilized for the treatment of depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and chronic pain syndromes. Broadly speaking, these medications function by effectively increasing the availability and action of serotonin, norepinephrine, and to a lesser extent dopamine in the brain, which then leads to improvement in the target symptoms. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (i.e., a chemical signal released by a nerve fiber that propagates a nerve impulse to another structure) that is involved in sleep, mood, and emotional state. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory, and physical arousal. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in attention, cognition, and reward. Although the causes of symptomatic improvement have not been fully explained, ongoing ...