Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are a class of psychoactive drugs used primarily as antidepressants, which were first discovered in the early 1950s, and subsequently introduced later in the decade. They are named after their chemical structure, which contains three rings of atoms, and are closely related to the tetracyclic antidepressants (TeCAs), which contain four rings of atoms.
In recent times, the TCAs have been largely replaced in clinical...
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Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are a class of psychoactive drugs used primarily as antidepressants, which were first discovered in the early 1950s, and subsequently introduced later in the decade. They are named after their chemical structure, which contains three rings of atoms, and are closely related to the tetracyclic antidepressants (TeCAs), which contain four rings of atoms.
In recent times, the TCAs have been largely replaced in clinical use in most parts of the world by newer antidepressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), among others, though they are still sometimes prescribed for certain indications.
The TCAs include the following agents:
The TCAs are used primarily in the clinical treatment of mood disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD), dysthymia, and bipolar disorder (BD), especially of the treatment-resistant variants. They are also used in the treatment of a number of...
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