Experimental Epilepsy Drug Reverses Severe Post-Partum Depression In 60 Hours For Four Women.

hat four women with severe post-partum depression who were given “an experimental epilepsy drug, SAGE-547” had their symptoms “basically [disappear]” within 60 hours. Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody, director of the perinatal psychiatry program at the University of North Carolina Center for Women’s Mood Disorders and the study’s lead investigator, said “we feel this is a very strong signal, because it is a robust response.” However, Dr. Nada Stotland, former president of the American Psychiatric Association, noted that the results are “as preliminary as preliminary can be with human subjects.” Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, also a former president of the APA, added that “the problem is it’s such a small number of people” and that “at this point it’s a theory with some anecdotal supporting evidence and you can’t really say much more.” Sage Therapeutics is “advancing SAGE-547 into a larger placebo controlled trial.” http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml