Used in research as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) analog for studying antidepressant mechanisms. Its deuterated methyl groups enhance metabolic stability, making it valuable in pharmacokinetic studies and drug metabolism profiling. Commonly employed in tracer experiments to monitor neurotransmitter interactions in neural tissues. Also utilized in positron emission tomography (PET) probe development due to its high binding affinity to serotonin transporters.