Sunday, 9 August 2009

Psych Drug Acronyms Explained!

Modern psychiatry is an alphabet soup of acronyms. Sometimes it seems like there are almost as many as there are drugs. This can be confusing. So, here's a quick guide to what they really mean.

Please add any of your own in the comments!
SSRI - Sexual Stimulation Required Increased(*)
Also, Suicides? Suppress Report Immediately!(*)
Also, Stopped Suddenly - Regret Imminent?(*)

NRI - No Real Impact?(*)
Also, Nix Relevant Information(*)

NASSA (mirtazapine) - Never Again Slim; Sleep Alot.(*)
Also, Nighttime, And Strange Sights Abound(*)

TCA - The Classic Antidepressants(*)
Also, Toxicity - Cardiac Arrests(*)

ECT - Effective, Cheap Treatment(*)
Also Erases Childhood Thoughts?(*)

VNS - Very Nebulous Science(*)
Also, Very New Snakeoil?

fMRI - Future Marketable Research Initiative(*)
Disclaimer - The digs at SSRIs are probably unfair: in my experience, the withdrawal symptoms are mild and I think the claimed link to suicide is most likely a myth. But it's funny.

6 comments:

Spirit of 1976 said...

A couple of assessment scale acronyms:

MMSE - My Mum Seems Eccentric

BDI - Biro Delivers Investigation

ASSQ - Advanced Star Trek & Science Quantification

Speaking of assessment scales, fancy joining me on this comments thread? I feel your science-fu may come in handy.

Neuroskeptic said...

You seem to be doing a fine job, not sure I have much more to add but I'll lend a hand after work if necessary...

Warren Winter said...

BDZ - Behavioral Disinhibition, Zen

Neuroskeptic said...

Nice.

MAOi - Must Avoid Other Ingredients

Vaughan said...

the claimed link to suicide is most likely a myth

Sadly not. See this meta-analysis of 372 antidepressant RCTs from this week's BMJ:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b2880

Verv said...

MAOIs- Must Act Overly Inhibited.