Whether or not a patient experiences side effects from antidepressant drugs may be predicted by brain activity prior to treatment, says a UCLA study that's the first to show a link between brain function and medication side effects.

The study compared brain function changes in 32 healthy individuals with no history of depression who took either an antidepressant (venlafaxine) or a placebo for four weeks. Individuals without depression were chosen so that their brain function would not be affected by the illness. All participants took a placebo pill for one week before being randomly assigned to either group.

During the seven check points that occurred during the study, a research nurse asked participants whether they experienced side effects such as gastrointestinal upset, cardiovascular disturbance, sleep disturbance, anxiety and agitation.

It was found that changes in brain function in the prefrontal region during the one-week placebo period were related to side effects in those who received antidepressants. Specifically, changes in prefrontal brain function before the start of the medication signaled a greater number of adverse effects from the antidepressant. The changes were monitored by "cordance," a quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) imaging technique.

Several factors can affect a patient's vulnerability to antidepressant side effects including the medication itself and patient expectations. The researchers hope the findings will allow a new way to determine whether an individual is susceptible to antidepressant side effects and ultimately improve treatment.

I just love technology that is able to come up with such sophisticated devices and measurements that can help aid in guiding clinical decisions. Unfortunately this is nearly all for naught, as the technology is based on a fatally flawed concept:

Antidepressants are an appropriate treatment for depression.

Depression can be mighty serious and the last thing a person struggling with it needs is to face one of the risks associated with these drugs, which include:

* Suicide

* Sexual dysfunction in up to 60 percent of patients

* An impaired ability to fall in love

* Risks to the development of your baby

* Neurological abnormalities

* A decreasing degree of effectiveness in about 35 percent of long-term users

* Debilitating withdrawal symptoms, including visual hallucinations, electric shock-like sensations in the brain, dizziness, nausea and anxiety

Because depression is so serious you will want to know how it is diagnosed. If you have any question that you or someone you love might have depression then please review the article on how depression is diagnosed.

So if you or someone you love has depression, you will want to consider non-drug options, as they are safer, healthier and far less expensive.

Optimizing your diet is clearly an important step, and one of the most important tools will be to make sure you are getting enough omega-3 fats. You can review Dr. Stoll's book, The Omega-3 Connection, for further information. Dr. Stoll is a Harvard psychiatrist who has done a great job of compiling the evidence supporting the use of fish oils for depression. I have had large numbers of patients spontaneously take themselves off their antidepressants once they started taking a high-quality fish or cod liver oil, chock full of omega-3 fats.

I've found energy psychology tools, like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), can be very useful to battle the dual effects of stress and depression. A form of psychological acupressure, EFT is based on the same energy meridians used in traditional acupuncture to treat physical and emotional ailments for more than 5,000 years, but without the invasiveness of needles.

You can start with the free online manual and learn how to use this effective tool. However, if you have a serious challenge you will want to consult with an experienced EFT therapist. Dr. Carrington has compiled some guidelines on selecting an EFT therapist, followed by a list of EFT practitioners throughout the United States and the world. Many of these therapists even offer a free 15-minute phone session in which you can ask them questions to see if you connect.

Full-spectrum light therapy is another great tool. You may not have heard of this one, but scientists recommended full-spectrum light therapy over antidepressants like Prozac or Zoloft because it has virtually no side effects and is much cheaper than prescription drugs over the long term--and I wholeheartedly agree with them.

In my experience, patients tend to feel a profound increase in energy and improvement in mood and sense of well-being within two to three days after exposure to full-spectrum lighting. That's why we've begun to offer BioPure Full-Spectrum Lights on your Recommended Products page.

Meditation can be a wonderful tool as well. Some people use it to promote spiritual growth or find inner peace, while others use it as a relaxation and stress-reduction tool. The only problem: Many people struggle with doing it and may take many years to develop a proficiency in which they are actually able to benefit from the technique.

Fortunately, there is an inexpensive and simple way that helps one rapidly achieve the same benefits as meditation. It involves brainwave synchronization technology where one passively listens to a CD in a relaxed mode. There are a number of different companies out there but I have found the Insight CD is one of the most cost-effective solutions; it's remarkably effective and efficient. Users have said it helps them achieve inner peace, increase concentration levels, energy and creativity. It is especially helpful for those who struggle with insomnia.

And finally, exercise! This is such a powerful tool that one study found depressive symptoms were cut almost in half in people who participated in 30-minute aerobic exercise sessions, three to five times a week.