<p>Wikipedia maintains a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_investigational_antidepressants" rel="nofollow noreferrer">list of potential antidepressants</a> currently under investigation.</p>

<p>Of some note, the US FDA <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-nasal-spray-medication-treatment-resistant-depression-available-only-certified" rel="nofollow noreferrer">recently approved esketamine</a> for clinical use.  After being banned in the 1970s, psychedelics have become available for research purposes again in the past 20 years or so.  Esketamine, a derivative of the psychedelic drug <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketamine" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ketamine</a>, which was already approved as an anesthetic, is an early result of this resurgence.  Other psychedelics (eg, psylocibin, LSD, mescaline, DMT, MDMA) are being investigated as potential treatment for a variety of mental disorders, including depression.</p>

<p>Also of note, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcranial_magnetic_stimulation" rel="nofollow noreferrer">transcranial magnetic stimulation</a> (rTMS) is a relatively new treatment for some types of depression.  The notion that depression comes in several forms or sub-types, responsive to different treatment options, has lead to the investigation of a variety of genetic tests that may help personalize treatment in the future.  Additionally, several labs (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27918562" rel="nofollow noreferrer">example</a>) are investigating the possibility of using <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_magnetic_resonance_imaging" rel="nofollow noreferrer">fMRI</a> to distinguish such sub-types using brain scans.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-28T05:09:23.017Z
2019-04-28T05:09:23.017Z
Arnon Weinberg
<p>Are there any scientists making substantial progress in the development of far more effective antidepressants? Are there any groups of people interested in developing antidepressants based on genetic tests?</p>

<p><strong>Depression: How effective are antidepressants?</strong></p>

<p><em>"It can take a long time for a medication to start helping some people. Other people still have symptoms even after trying several different medications. They can then discuss the alternative treatment options with their doctor."</em>
<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK361016/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK361016/</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-22T06:44:57.890Z
Welcome to Psychology.SE. What have you read which suggests that current antidepressants are not effective enough? We have a strict policy that all questions should [show evidence of prior research](https://psychology.meta.stackexchange.com/q/993). Please help us to help you and [edit] your question to provide more information on what you have read on this subject, what made you ask this question, and any problems you are having understanding your research. If you found nothing, what did you Google? This helps to provide a more helpful answer.
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-22T15:25:37.283Z
Although this prior question is about diagnosis of bipolar disorder rather than treatment of depression, I think most of the answers still apply to this one: https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/19602/why-arent-any-advancements-being-made-in-physically-diagnosing-bipolar-and-othe/ Tl;dr: Yes of course, people are working on ways to better treat things that are hard to treat, from many angles, but brains are complicated.
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-22T20:14:11.153Z
What antidepressants might become available in the near future? The 2020s?
Daniel Mera
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-28T07:08:02.740Z
@DanielMera - The question of what antidepressants will become available in the near future is open to opinion.  Nobody can know for certain.  Although there are some under investigation, there is no way of knowing which will pass scrutiny.
Chris Rogers
<neuroscience><psychology><depression><psychopharmacology><health-psychology>
Are there ways to accelerate the recovery from depression via novel pharmacological antidepressants?
Daniel Mera
# Are there ways to accelerate the recovery from depression via novel pharmacological antidepressants?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-04-22)

Are there any scientists making substantial progress in the development of far more effective antidepressants? Are there any groups of people interested in developing antidepressants based on genetic tests?

**Depression: How effective are antidepressants?**

*"It can take a long time for a medication to start helping some people. Other people still have symptoms even after trying several different medications. They can then discuss the alternative treatment options with their doctor."*
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK361016/>

**Tags:** neuroscience, psychology, depression, psychopharmacology, health-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to Psychology.SE. What have you read which suggests that current antidepressants are not effective enough? We have a strict policy that all questions should [show evidence of prior research](https://psychology.meta.stackexchange.com/q/993). Please help us to help you and [edit] your question to provide more information on what you have read on this subject, what made you ask this question, and any problems you are having understanding your research. If you found nothing, what did you Google? This helps to provide a more helpful answer.  
> **username_2**: Although this prior question is about diagnosis of bipolar disorder rather than treatment of depression, I think most of the answers still apply to this one: https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/19602/why-arent-any-advancements-being-made-in-physically-diagnosing-bipolar-and-othe/ Tl;dr: Yes of course, people are working on ways to better treat things that are hard to treat, from many angles, but brains are complicated.  
> **username_0**: What antidepressants might become available in the near future? The 2020s?  
> **username_1**: @DanielMera - The question of what antidepressants will become available in the near future is open to opinion.  Nobody can know for certain.  Although there are some under investigation, there is no way of knowing which will pass scrutiny.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-04-28. Score: 1

Wikipedia maintains a [list of potential antidepressants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_investigational_antidepressants) currently under investigation.

Of some note, the US FDA [recently approved esketamine](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-nasal-spray-medication-treatment-resistant-depression-available-only-certified) for clinical use. After being banned in the 1970s, psychedelics have become available for research purposes again in the past 20 years or so. Esketamine, a derivative of the psychedelic drug [ketamine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketamine), which was already approved as an anesthetic, is an early result of this resurgence. Other psychedelics (eg, psylocibin, LSD, mescaline, DMT, MDMA) are being investigated as potential treatment for a variety of mental disorders, including depression.

Also of note, [transcranial magnetic stimulation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcranial_magnetic_stimulation) (rTMS) is a relatively new treatment for some types of depression. The notion that depression comes in several forms or sub-types, responsive to different treatment options, has lead to the investigation of a variety of genetic tests that may help personalize treatment in the future. Additionally, several labs ([example](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27918562)) are investigating the possibility of using [fMRI](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_magnetic_resonance_imaging) to distinguish such sub-types using brain scans.


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