title: Serotonergic function during lithium augmentation of refractory depression.
abstract: Serotonergic mechanisms have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression and in the neuropharmacology of antidepressant treatment. One measure of central serotonergic function is the prolactin (PRL) response to IV L-tryptophan (L-TRP). We used the L-TRP test to assess the role of serotonin in the mechanism of action of lithium augmentation in refractory major depression. Twenty-six patients with antidepressant-refractory major depression each received three L-TRP tests (after 2 weeks of placebo, after 4 weeks of active primary antidepressant, and after 1 week of lithium augmentation). Primary antidepressant treatment did not increase the PRL response, but lithium augmentation resulted in a statistically significant increase in PRL response as compared to both placebo pretreatment (P less than 0.04) and antidepressant treatment alone (P less than 0.025). This study supports a role for serotonergic mechanisms in the action of lithium augmentation.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McCance-Katz
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Charney
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Heninger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D014364:Tryptophan
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D014364:Tryptophan; D011388:Prolactin; D008094:Lithium