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Minocycline, a tetracycline antibiotic, has been shown to improve symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar depression, ostensibly by reducing inflammatory responses that contribute to symptoms. The current investigators pooled data from two 12-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, minocycline treatment trials for 112 patients with major depression typically in their mid-40s (60% men).
On average, patients were chronically depressed for about 10 years and had moderate-to-severe symptoms. Patients had been on stable treatment for at least 2 weeks prior to baseline (antidepressants, 88%; benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, or both, 29%–40%; mood stabilizers, 7%; pain medications, 13%; no medication, 8%). Minocycline was dosed at 200 mg/day for at lea…