The study, which was conducted in nonhuman primates with brain structures and functions similar to those of humans, discovered that the antidepressant sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) marketed as Zoloft, increased the volume of one brain region in depressed subjects but decreased the volume of another... Sertraline appears to increase the volume of brain tissue in regions responsible for cognitive function while reducing the volume of regions involved in emotion. Volumes of brain tissue can be increased or decreased depending on how you take it. If you swallow a pill, it will enter your body and go directly into your bloodstream. From there, it is absorbed by cells all over your body, including those in the brain. The amount of sertraline in your blood increases as it enters these cells and becomes bound up with protein. You are then exposed to this drug for longer than if you were taking it so often that it could be considered a form of medication overuse. Studies have shown that people who take SSRIs for long periods of time may develop mental problems such as anxiety, agitation, depression, irritability, aggression, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, weight loss, or appetite changes. These symptoms can be caused by too much of a good thing - in this case, too much of a beneficial mood-changing drug in your system. However, it is also possible for you to become addicted to SSRIs.