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You're not depressed. But after reading this article, you may secretly wish you were.

That's because researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) have discovered that the antidepressant drug mianserin can extend the lifespan of adult roundworms by approximately 30 percent. Researchers believe that the drug simulates caloric restriction, and therefore slows down aging. The drug also blocked serotonin receptors in the C. elegans roundworm.

"Our studies indicate that lifespan extension by mianserin involves mechanisms associated with lifespan extension by dietary restriction," said head investigator Linda B. Buck. "We don't have an explanation for this. All we can say is that if we give the drug to caloric restricted animals, it doesn't increase their lifespan any further. That suggests the same mechanism may be involved."

But enough about worms. What does this finding mean for humans?

Buck said that this research - and the possibility of finding drugs that affect longevity - may shed new light on the aging process and perhaps pinpoint drugs that could mirror these results in humans.

"Other researchers have done beautiful work using molecular genetic approaches to identify genes involved in aging," she said. "We decided to take a chemical approach. By finding chemicals that enhance longevity, and then finding the targets of those chemicals, it may be possible to identify additional genes important in aging. In addition, the chemical approach could point to drugs suitable for testing in mammals."