Citalopram is a antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class used to treat major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia. It is thought to work by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.
It is also sometimes used to treat eating disorders, alcoholism, panic disorder (condition that causes sudden attacks of extreme fear with no apparent cause), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (a group of physical and emotional symptoms that occur before the menstrual period each month), and social phobia (excessive anxiety about interacting with others).
Citalopram may be used off label to treat anxiety, and dysthymia, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Some research suggests citalopram interacts with cannabinoid protein couplings in the brain, and this is put forward as a potential cause of some of the drugs antidepressant effect. There are other studies suggesting that citalopram can be useful in reducing aggressive and impulsive behavior. It appears to be superior to placebo for behavioural disturbances associated with dementia. It has also been used successfully for hypersexuality in early Alzheimers disease.
