A Familiar Chemical with an Unfamiliar Role
For decades, serotonin has been discussed almost exclusively in terms of mood. It is the neurochemical that SSRI antidepressants target, medications taken by an estimated 45 million Americans every year, including brands like Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro. But a growing body of research from Columbia University is pointing toward a second, far less understood role for this molecule: accelerating the deterioration of heart valves in certain patients.
