The Journal of clinical psychiatry
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Actual driving performance and psychomotor function in healthy subjects after acute and subchronic treatment with escitalopram, mirtazapine, and placebo: a crossover trial.
The effects of escitalopram 10 to 20 mg/day and mirtazapine 30 to 45 mg/day on actual driving and psychomotor performance of 18 healthy subjects were determined in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-dose, 3-way crossover trial. ⋯ Driving performance, as well as psychomotor functioning, was not affected by escitalopram treatment in healthy subjects. Driving performance was significantly impaired after ingestion of mirtazapine 30 mg during the acute treatment period.
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Comparative Study
The relation between anger expression, depression, and somatic symptoms in depressive disorders and somatoform disorders.
In previous studies, the relationship between either anger suppression and depression or anger suppression and somatic symptoms was examined. However, the relationship between anger expression, depression, and somatic symptoms was not examined in depressive disorders and somatoform disorders. ⋯ The results suggest that anger expression might play a more predominant role in depression and somatic symptoms of depressive disorder patients than anger suppression, but only anger suppression might be associated with depression and somatic symptoms of somatoform disorder patients. In addition, incomplete anger suppression followed by anger expression is likely to be associated with depression and somatic symptoms in depressive disorders.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The efficacy and safety of the melatonin agonist beta-methyl-6-chloromelatonin in primary insomnia: a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial.
While melatonin agonists are known to regulate circadian sleep rhythms, it is not clear whether melatonin agonists have a direct soporific effect. It has been suggested that melatonin's soporific effect is secondary to its ability to induce hypothermia. beta-Methyl-6-chloromelatonin is a high-affinity melatonin receptor agonist that is not associated with hypothermia. The purpose of the present study was to determine if the melatonin agonist beta-methyl-6-chloromelatonin has a direct soporific effect in subjects with primary insomnia. ⋯ beta-Methyl-6-chloromelatonin significantly decreases both objective and subjective measures of sleep latency in subjects with primary insomnia. Thus, these data suggest that mel-atonin agonists may exert a direct soporific effect, as previous research indicates that beta-methyl-6-chloromelatonin is not associated with changes in body temperature, heart rate, or blood pressure.
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Bipolar disorder is a chronic, intermittent illness that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. In addition, patients with bipolar disorder often have comorbid psychiatric conditions (such as anxiety disorders, alcohol or substance abuse, and eating disorders) or medical disorders (such as obesity), which result in increased burden of illness for the patients, family members, and treating clinicians. Although bipolar disorder consists of recurring episodes of mania and depression, patients spend more time depressed than manic. ⋯ Available treatments for bipolar depression include medications such as lithium, selected anticonvulsants, and the atypical antipsychotics. Traditional antidepressants are not recommended as monotherapy for bipolar depression as they can induce switching to mania. Early and accurate diagnosis, aggressive management, and earlier prophylactic treatment regimens are needed to overcome the impact of depressive episodes in patients with bipolar disorder.