title: Acute noradrenergic effects of desipramine in depression.
abstract: As a probe of the noradrenergic system in depression, single oral doses of the tricyclic antidepressant desipramine (100 mg) and placebo were administered to unipolar and bipolar depressed patients and healthy volunteers. Plasma concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) were determined 2-3 hours after dosing, with subjects in supine and upright positions. On the placebo day plasma NE was low in a subset of bipolar patients; both groups of depressives demonstrated an exaggerated increase in plasma NE upon standing. After desipramine dosing, the orthostatic procedure resulted in even greater relative increments in plasma NE in both patient groups, with no change in volunteers. These data are consistent with noradrenergic dysregulation in depression.
authors.affiliation: Section on Clinical Pharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesada, MD 20892.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Rudorfer
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sherer
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Golden
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linnoila
authors.forename: W Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Potter
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003891:Desipramine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D003891:Desipramine; D009638:Norepinephrine