How Does a Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor Work?
Venlafaxine is thought to work by strongly inhibiting the reuptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin (or 5-HT) and norepinephrine (also called noradrenaline in the United Kingdom) and weakly inhibiting the reuptake of the neurotransmitter dopamine. It is thought that by increasing the available amount of these neurotransmitters, Venlafaxine can help individuals suffering from depression. However, the medication’s full mechanisms of action are not entirely understood. Note that Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor makes an acronym, ‘SNRI’, which is more commonly used to denote ‘Selective Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor’; the similarity can easily cause confusion! Also see the page on Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors.
