Anti-inflammatory medications make SSRI antidepressants less effective

anti-inflammatory drugs make SSRI antidepressants less effective, examples of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) include: 

• citalopram (Celexa, Cipramil, Cipram, Dalsan, Recital, Emocal, Sepram, Seropram, Citox, Cital)
• dapoxetine (Priligy)
• escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex, Seroplex, Esertia)
• fluoxetine (Prozac, Fontex, Seromex, Seronil, Sarafem, Ladose, Motivest,Flutop, Fluctin (EUR), Fluox (NZ), Depress (UZB), Lovan (AUS))
• fluvoxamine (Luvox, Fevarin, Faverin, Dumyrox, Favoxil, Movox)
• paroxetine (Paxil, Seroxat, Sereupin, Aropax, Deroxat, Divarius, Rexetin, Xetanor, Paroxat, Loxamine, Deparoc)

• sertraline (Zoloft, Lustral, Serlain, Asentra)

some patients on SSRIs do not appear to derive any benefits. this lack of efficacy may be preventable if patients stayed off anti-inflammatory medications.

Scientists treated mice with SSRIs and gave some of them anti-inflammatory drugs, while others were given SSRIs without anti-inflammatories. They observed the animals' behavior when given tasks which are sensitive to antidepressant treatment. They found that those on anti-inflammatory drugs showed inhibited behavioral responses.

They also found that human patients with depression who were on both SSRIs and anti-inflammatory drugs had a significantly lower chance of experiencing relief of symptoms typically offered by antidepressants compared to similar patients who did not take anti-inflammatory medications.
They found that:

• Only 40% of patients on antidepressants and anti-inflammatory drugs responded to their SSRI medication
• 54% of patients on SSRIs and not on anti-inflammatory medications responded to their SSRI drug

The researchers explain that a significant number patients with Alzheimer's disease, for example, suffer from depression, which needs to be treated effectively to prevent more severe Alzheimer's symptoms. They add that depression among elderly individuals also raises the risk of developing Alzheimer's. If depression can be treated effectively, most likely the chances of developing Alzheimer's would be reduced.