Psychiatric Technician Practice Exam

Which class of antidepressants increases serotonin availability in the body?

1. Tricyclics

2. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors

3. SSRIs

4. Rimayzidines

The correct answer is: SSRIs

The correct answer is SSRIs, or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, which work by increasing the availability of serotonin in the synaptic cleft, thereby enhancing serotonergic neurotransmission. SSRIs achieve this by selectively inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin into presynaptic neurons. As a result, serotonin remains in the synaptic cleft longer, allowing for increased binding to postsynaptic receptors and improved mood and emotional regulation. This mechanism is particularly effective in treating depression and anxiety disorders, as serotonin is a key neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation. Other classes of antidepressants might influence serotonin levels indirectly or involve additional neurotransmitters, but SSRIs are explicitly designed to target serotonin reuptake. Although tricyclics can also affect serotonin levels, they are not selective and also impact other neurotransmitters, leading to potentially more side effects. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors work by blocking the enzyme responsible for breaking down neurotransmitters, which can increase serotonin levels as well, but they do not do so by the mechanism of reuptake inhibition that characterizes SSRIs. Rimayzidines, while not a commonly discussed class of antidepressants, do not have a recognized role in serotonin modulation and are less