Monoamine oxidase inhibitor

From MEpedia, a crowd-sourced encyclopedia of ME and CFS science and history

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, also called MAOIs or MAO inhibitors, are a fairly old class antidepressants.[1] They were the first antidepressants to be developed.[1] Though effective, they have been replaced as a first-line treatment following the development of other antidepressants posing fewer safety and side effect issues.[1]

Theory[edit | edit source]

Evidence[edit | edit source]

No antidepressants have been found to cause significant improvement in ME/CFS, although some may be useful for co-existing depression, or for treating pain and/or sleep problems.[2][3]

Clinicians[edit | edit source]

Risks and safety[edit | edit source]

Use of MAOIs typically involves dietary restrictions owing to dangerous side effects that can result from interactions with some foods.[1] Nevertheless, MAOIs can still be a good treatment option for depression, especially in cases where other antidepressants have been ineffective.[1]

As of June 2016, the FDA has approved the following MAOIs to treat depression:

See also[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]