Differential effects of scopolamine on nocturnal cortisol secretion, sleep architecture, and REM latency in normal volunteers: relation to sleep and cortisol abnormalities in depression.

Scopolamine (SCOP) (3.0 mu/kg and 6.0 micrograms/kg) and saline were administered intramuscularly at 11:00 PM to eight normal male volunteers in a randomized design, and the effects on the sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) and nocturnal cortisol secretion (via blood sampling every 15 min) were evaluated.

Comparison between clinician-rated and self-reported depressive symptoms in Italian psychiatric patients.

The Inventory for Depressive Symptomatology is a new scale for measuring depressive symptoms. The reliability, validity and correlations between self-report and clinician-rated versions of the scale were examined in 86 Italian psychiatric patients. Results confirmed the validity and internal consistency of the scales.

Labeling in vivo of beta adrenergic receptors in the central nervous system of the rat after administration of [125I] iodopindolol.

The amount of radioactivity in vivo in the central nervous system (CNS) of the rat has been studied after tail-vein injections of (-)- [125I] iodopindolol (IPIN). The content of radioactivity in cortex and cerebellum 1 to 4 hr after IPIN administration was significantly reduced in rats pretreated with I-propranolol (1 mg/kg) given i.v.

Poor prophylactic lithium response due to antidepressants.

50 manic-depressive patients with rapid cycles received lithium for more than 1 year, during depression they received antidepressant drugs. Response was poor in 36, partial in 6, and good in 8. 21 of the poor responders were persuaded to endure depression without antidepressants; anxiolytics were allowed, 15 stabilized after the end of the untreated depression or after a few milder, shorter episodes; 4 improved partially; 2 were unchanged.

Rapid cyclers and antidepressants.

434 bipolar manic-depressive patients were followed longitudinally. The course of the disease changed in many patients over the years. 67 cases became rapid cyclers (two or more cycles per year); in 40 of these cases (12 men and 28 women) the change of the course took place after intense or protracted use of antidepressant drugs.

Spontaneous length of depression and response to ECT.

Electro-convulsive treatment (ECT) was therapeutically ineffective in 27 (20%) of 136 depressed patients. Failure to respond occurred in long-lasting depressions and in patients with a history of long-lasting depressions. In these cases the depression lasted at least 6 months.