Antidepressants are commonly associated with improving mood and mental health. But recent research suggests they may also have an unexpected effect: helping the immune system fight cancer.
Scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) found that a class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) significantly boost the cancer-fighting abilities of T cells.
In both mouse and human tumor models, SSRIs were shown to suppress tumor growth across multiple types of cancer.
Serotonin’s cancer-fighting role
“It turns out SSRIs don’t just make our brains happier; they also make our T cells happier – even while they’re fighting tumors,” said Dr. Lili Yang, UCLA professor of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics.
“These drugs have been widely and…