[Valerieanne77]

How does Wellbutrin impact serotonin?

[sideblinded]

Valerieanne77

Wellbutrin is the brand name for bupropion

This is an excerpt from medicinenet.com .....

Bupropion works by inhibiting the reuptake of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine; an action that results in more dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine to transmit messages to other nerves. Bupropion is unique and unlike other antidepressants in that its major effect is on dopamine, an effect that is not shared by the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs (for example, paroxetine [Paxil], fluoxetine [Prozac], sertraline [Zoloft]) or the tricyclic antidepressants or TCAs (for example, amitriptyline [Elavil, Endep], imipramine [Tofranil], desipramine [Norpramin]). The FDA approved bupropion in December 1985.


Hope this helps.

[pharmd2015]

Hope you don't mind me chiming in on this. Wellbutrin or bupropion is what is called a NDRI. This stands for norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor.

It actually doesn't effect serotonin. It is commonly added on to regimens that include SSRI's such as sertraline or Zoloft since they both affect different neurotransmitters. Since wellbutrin doesn't effect serotonin, it doesn't cause the weight gain or sexual dysfunction that SSRI's do.

The biggest risk with wellbutrin is a rare side effect of seizures.

Hope this helps!