On November 8, 2025, researchers at University College London unveiled groundbreaking findings suggesting that the widely prescribed antidepressant Sertraline, known by brand names such as Zoloft and Lustral, may begin alleviating key emotional symptoms of depression and anxiety within just two weeks of treatment. This discovery could significantly alter how patients and healthcare providers approach the timeline of antidepressant efficacy.
The study, which is a secondary analysis of the landmark PANDA trial, applied an innovative “network analysis” to examine individual symptom trajectories, rather than relying solely on overall depression scores. This approach allowed the researchers to pinpoint earlier improvements in specific emotional symptoms, such as low mood, self-criticism, and even suicidal thoughts. Remarkably, measurable emotional gains were observed as early as the two-week mark—much sooner than traditionally expected in the treatment of depression.
One of the key findings of the study was the distinction between emotional and somatic symptoms. While emotional symptoms showed improvement within the first two weeks, somatic symptoms—such as sleep disturbance, fatigue, and lowered libido—initially worsened in some patients. This early worsening of physical symptoms could potentially mask the emotional benefits in traditional depression scoring systems, which aggregate both emotional and somatic symptoms into a single measure. As a result, clinicians and patients may need to adjust their expectations, understanding that the early improvements in mood may not be immediately reflected in overall depression scores.
Despite the modest effect size of these improvements, the study’s authors suggest that tracking changes at the symptom level may provide more accurate and timely indicators of a patient’s response to treatment. This could lead to a better understanding of how antidepressants like Sertraline work, helping to fine-tune treatment plans and providing patients with a more realistic timeline for recovery.
For clinicians and patients alike, these findings offer important insights into the nature of antidepressant treatment. While it is common to expect longer timelines for antidepressant efficacy, this study suggests that emotional relief may begin to manifest much sooner, providing hope for those seeking faster improvement in their mental health. This research could ultimately reshape how antidepressant treatments are approached, offering patients and healthcare providers a more nuanced understanding of how these medications impact the emotional and physical aspects of depression.
The full study was published on November 8, 2025, and continues to generate discussion in the medical community about the potential for quicker interventions and more effective treatments for depression and anxiety.
