Journal of psychopharmacology
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J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford) · Jun 2002
Effect of chronic fluoxetine and WAY-100635 treatment on serotonergic neurotransmission in the frontal cortex.
Clinical augmentation strategies have shown that some improvement in antidepressant efficacy can be achieved by combining the beta-adrenergic/serotonin (5-HT)1A/1B receptor antagonist (+/-)pindolol with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). This has lead to the hypothesis that a combination of a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist with an SSRI will lead to a faster onset of antidepressant action. Although there is a significant accumulation of acute preclinical data supporting this rationale, until recently, there have been no investigations examining the chronic effects of combining an SSRI with a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist. ⋯ WAY-100635 given chronically in combination with fluoxetine blocked the SSRI-induced desensitization of the 5-HT1A receptor. Furthermore, chronic treatment with this combination produced no tolerance in terms of its ability to acutely increase forebrain 5-HT levels. These data suggest that augmentation of an SSRI by combined pharmacotherapy with a 5-HT1A antagonist would be effective upon prolonged exposure.
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J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford) · Jun 2001
Clinical TrialPsychopathology and personality characteristics in relation to blood serotonin in Tourette's syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Family studies suggest an interrelationship between Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS) and some forms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Some authors consider GTS to be part of a serotonergically mediated cluster of OCD spectrum disorders. The present study was undertaken to compare measures of psychopathology, personality and blood serotonin between GTS and OCD (without tics), and to investigate whether an OCD spectrum hypothesis is supported for GTS. ⋯ The biochemical data of this study suggest that in tic + OCD and in tic-free OCD patients, 5-HT dysregulations play a role, but not necessarily in pure GTS. Serotonergic dysregulations within tic + OCD and tic-free OCD patients are distinct, suggesting differences in underlying pathophysiology. The finding that obsessions and compulsions can be associated with either 5-HT hypofunctionality or hyperfunctionality reveals a major weakness in the OCD spectrum theory, i.e. that the associations between obsessive-compulsive behaviours and 5-HT abnormalities are less specific than suggested by the original obsessive-compulsive spectrum model.
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J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford) · Mar 2001
Review Case ReportsNeuroleptic malignant-like syndrome after abrupt withdrawal of baclofen.
We present the case of a 36-year-old man who presented with a clinically neuroleptic malignant-like syndrome involving disorientation, signs of autonomic dysfunction, rigidity and raised total creatine kinase level, but in the absence of any neuroleptic medication. He had, however, abruptly stopped taking his long-term baclofen in the days prior to presentation. He improved markedly after the reintroduction of baclofen, and we postulate that his clinical syndrome resulted from the sudden withdrawal of this drug. We concur with the concept that neuroleptic malignant syndrome represents a spectrum of disorders, and add it to the list of possible sequelae after abrupt withdrawal of baclofen.
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J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford) · Jan 2000
Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialThe serotonin uptake inhibitor citalopram reduces acute cardiovascular and vegetative effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ('Ecstasy') in healthy volunteers.
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or 'Ecstasy' is a widely used recreational drug that produces a state of heightened mood but also cardiovascular and vegetative side-effects. In animals, MDMA releases serotonin and, to a lesser extent, dopamine and norepinephrine. The release of serotonin can be blocked by serotonin uptake inhibitors such as citalopram. ⋯ MDMA moderately increased blood pressure and heart rate, slightly elevated body temperature and produced a broad range of acute and short-term side-effects. Citalopram reduced all these MDMA-induced physiological changes except for body temperature. These findings suggest that physiological effects of MDMA in humans are partially due to an interaction of MDMA with the serotonin carrier and a subsequent release of serotonin.