Acne drug linked to lower serotonin

BATH, England, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Accutane, a drug used for severe acne, may reduce the brain chemical serotonin, which may lead to aggression and depression, a British and U.S. study found.

Scientists at the University of Bath in England and University of Texas at Austin in the United States monitored the effect of Accutane on the chemistry of the cells that produce serotonin. They found the cells significantly increased production of proteins and cell metabolites, which are known to reduce the availability of serotonin.

Study author Dr. Sarah Bailey of the University of Bath said this could disrupt the process by which serotonin relays signals between neurons in the brain and may be the cause of depression-related behavior.

"Serotonin is an important chemical that relays signals from nerve cells to other cells in the body," Bailey said in a statement. "In the brain it is thought to play an important role in the regulation of a range of behaviors, such as aggression, anger and sleep -- low levels of serotonin have been linked to depression, as well as bipolar and anxiety disorders."

The findings are published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine.