Anti-suicide nasal spray

The US Army is funding the development of a hormone nasal spray that they hope may ease depression and lift suicidal thoughts. Indiana University medical researcher Dr. Michael Kubek co-discovered a hormone, called TRH, that has anti-depressant properties but isn't effective when ingested or injected. With the army funding, Kubek hopes to create a TRH nasal spray so the hormone can cross the blood-brain barrier. "Today's commonly used anti-depressants can take weeks to have an effect and carry a black box warning label for suicidal ideation in young adults," Kubek said. "That is why we hope to develop a quick-acting, easy-to-use, non-invasive system that delivers a compound that's been shown to reduce suicidal thoughts." "Can nasal spray help prevent military suicides?"