Effects of 28-day simvastatin administration on emotional processing, reward learning, working memory, and salivary cortisol in healthy participants at-risk for depression: OxSTEP, an online experimental medicine trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Statins are among the most prescribed medications worldwide. Both beneficial (e.g. antidepressant and pro-cognitive) and adverse (e.g. depressogenic and cognitive-impairing) mental health outcomes have been described in clinical studies. The underlying neuropsychological mechanisms, whether positive or negative, are, however, not established. Clarifying such activities has implications for the safe prescribing and repurposing potential of these drugs, especially in people with depression.

Methods

In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled experimental medicine study, we investigated the effects of simvastatin on emotional processing, reward learning, working memory, and waking salivary cortisol (WSC) in 101 people at-risk for depression due to reported h

SUBMITTER: De Giorgi R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12115272 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature