Abstract

▼Vortioxetine (Brintellix—Lundbeck) is licensed for treating adults with major depressive episodes.¹ It acts on the serotonin system and is described as having a ‘novel multimodal mechanism of action’.² The company claims that it is the first antidepressant in the EU to include an effect on certain aspects of cognitive function in patients with depression in its Summary of Product Characteristics.³ The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has recommended it as an option for patients whose current episode has responded inadequately to two antidepressants. Here we consider the evidence for vortioxetine and its place in treating major depression in adults.