Transdermal Scopolamine for Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder

Overview

Journal Cureus

Specialty Biomedical Engineering

Date 2024 Oct 3

PMID 39360115

Authors

Mitchell B Liester

Delia S Shash

Affiliations

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Abstract

Conventional antidepressants are useful in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) but are limited by their delayed onset of action and lack of adequate therapeutic response in approximately one-third of patients. This has led to a quest for faster-acting and more effective antidepressants. Scopolamine exhibits rapid antidepressant effects when administered intravenously. We report a case of a female with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) who responded to transdermal scopolamine. She had a rapid (within three days) and sustained (119 days) response to transdermal scopolamine. Further research into the use of transdermal scopolamine for the treatment of depression is recommended.

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