PET brain imaging with [11C](+)McN5652 shows increased serotonin transporter availability in major depression.

Background: Alterations in the brain serotonin (5-HT) system have been found in patients with depression. We used the selective 5-HT transporter site ligand [11C](+)McN5652 and positron emission tomography (PET) to examine the hypothesis that alterations in 5-HT transporter levels may be present in selected regions of the brain in depressed patients.

Methods: Four drug free depressed patients and four healthy control subjects were studied using [11C](+)McN5652 and PET.

Pindolol does not augment cortisol and prolactin responses to paroxetine in healthy subjects.

Objective: Animal studies have shown that pindolol augmentation of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may act through inhibition of 5-HT(1A) autoreceptors in the raphe. The combination of pindolol plus a SSRI produces increased synaptic 5-HT levels that are greater than those achieved with a SSRI alone. However, it is unclear whether this actually occurs in humans, and clinical studies of pindolol augmentation have produced inconsistent results.

Short-term fluoxetine monotherapy for bipolar type II or bipolar NOS major depression - low manic switch rate.

Objectives: Current guidelines for the initial treatment of bipolar type II (BP II) major depressive episode (MDE) recommend using either a mood stabilizer alone or a combination of a mood stabilizer plus a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI). This recommendation is the result of concern over antidepressant-induced manic switch episodes. However, recent evidence suggests that the manic switch rate may be low in BP II MDE during SSRI therapy.

Antidepressant monotherapy for bipolar type II major depression.

Objectives: Bipolar type II (BP II) disorder is thought to be distinct from BP I disorder on genetic and biological grounds, and it is not merely a milder form of the illness. It affects 1.5-2.

Greater availability of brain dopamine transporters in major depression shown by [99m Tc]TRODAT-1 SPECT imaging.

Objective: Studies of laboratory animals have shown that administration of antidepressants of all pharmacological classes produces changes in dopamine transporter binding affinity. These observations suggest that dopamine transporter function may play a critical role in the pathophysiology of depression. The present study was an examination of the availability of brain dopamine transporter sites in patients with major depression and in healthy comparison subjects.

A single-site, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study of YKP10A--a putative, new antidepressant.

Background: YKP10A is a novel, new antidepressant that may affect dopamine neurotransmission. We present results from the first Phase II clinical trial of YKP10A antidepressant activity in patients with major depression.

Methods: This was a single-site, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study.

Site variability in treatment outcome in antidepressant trials.

Objective: Site-specific differences in treatment outcome during multisite antidepressant drug trials may contribute to a negative or failed clinical trial. As part of a five-site, long-term, double-blind, placebo-controlled, relapse prevention trial with fluoxetine in major depression, the authors examined site-specific variability in outcome ratings.

Methods: Data from 390 patients with major depression who participated in a 64-week, placebo-controlled trial were retrospectively analyzed.

Fluoxetine and norfluoxetine plasma concentrations during relapse-prevention treatment.

Background: Virtually no attention has been given to the relationship between antidepressant plasma drug concentrations and relapse-prevention during maintenance therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between steady-state plasma drug concentrations and outcome during relapse-prevention therapy with fluoxetine.

Methods: The patients studied had responded to acute fluoxetine treatment for major depression (defined by DSM-III-R).