SSRIs grow new nerve fibers

From the Betterhumans blog,

Reporting in the Journal of Neurochemistry, researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found in rats that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increase the density of nerve-impulse-carrying axons in the frontal and parietal lobes of the neocortex and part of the limbic brain.

I would assume that if the SSRIs grow new nerve fibers, that new growth would be relatively long lasting or even permanent. Yet quite a few people seem to become dependent on these drugs and regress into their depressive states rapidly upon discontinuation. This suggests that some etiological factors are left unaddressed by the treatment. For example, if a dietary deficiency or environmental toxin is responsible for the depression, the drug may overcome these factors, but then when stopped, the factors gradually do their damage again. Of course, many patients have had complete cures after 6 months on these drugs with no remission after stopping. It also raises the issue of whether some type of psychological intervention such as cognitive therapy or behavior modification may be the missing piece for patients who seem to be dependent on the drugs to function.