These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
Serzone
Question: My mother is taking Serzone. She has been told it is for a chemical imbalance in her
brain. She is losing her fine motor skills in her hands, and is having difficulty walking.
I understand that Serzone is an anti-depressant. Why is the Doctor treating her with a
antidepressant if she is having problems walking and doing simple tasks like writing, washing dishes, and cooking. She is only 65 and has high blood pressure, but until recently has been in good health. The Doctor seems to be connecting what seems to be a physical problem, with
depression. Is there a relationship between depression, and the loss of motor skills?
Answer: Did the loss of fine motor skills precede the Serzone or did it come after? If before, there is probably an underlying neurologic diagnosis which has not been elucidated. If after, it is probably due to a side effect of the Serzone.
General Info
Question: What is it used for and any info that might help
Answer: Serzone(nefazodone hydrochloride) is an anti-depressant which is in a class of its own in terms of structure. However,it appears to act like some other serotonin uptake inhibitors It appears to be more selective in certain parts of the brain and has less depressant effect on ones sex drive-a common problem with other SRls like Prozac, Paxil, etc. It also may have less effect on sleep. I use it in my patients who are having significant decrease of their sexual drive with SRls and have had moderate success in improving depression while not affecting the patients sex drive. It is less convenient to take-twice a day; but, the side effects don’t appear to be significantly different clinically.
