Effect of antidepressant treatment on platelet 5-HT content and relation to therapeutic outcome in unipolar depressive patients.
Platelet 5-HT levels and scores on the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRS) were studied in patients with unipolar depression before and after antidepressant treatment. Before treatment there were no differences in platelet 5-HT values or in HRS scores between patients who showed a good and a poor therapeutic response. Repeated administration of 5-HT uptake inhibitors (amitriptyline, clovoxamine, fluvoxamine) for 28 days markedly decreased platelet 5-HT levels. Chronic treatment with trazodone or maprotiline (weak inhibitors of platelet 5-HT uptake) produced no changes in platelet 5-HT levels. No significant correlation was observed between platelet 5-HT concentrations and the HRS scores before or during treatment. The findings suggest that the changes in platelet 5-HT levels after antidepressant treatment are mainly due to the effects of antidepressants on the 5-HT uptake system.
Mück-Seler
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D
Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Ruder Bosković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia, Yugoslavia.
Jakovljević
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M
Deanović
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Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D016666:Fluvoxamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008376:Maprotiline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010091:Oximes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*; D014196:Trazodone / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D010091:Oximes; D000639:Amitriptyline; D008376:Maprotiline; D012701:Serotonin; C020724:clovoxamine; D016666:Fluvoxamine; D014196:Trazodone