A selective serotonin releasing agent (SSRA) is a type of drug which selectively induces the release of serotonin from the pre-synaptic neuron into the synapse. This in turn leads to increased extracellular concentrations of serotonin and therefore a selective increase in serotonergic neurotransmission. SSRAs have been used as anorectics or appetite suppressants in the past, and they have also been suggested as novel antidepressant and anxiolytic agents with a faster onset and superior efficacy in comparison to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The term 'selective serotonin releasing agent' was coined by David E. Nichols.