title: Electroconvulsive treatment and lithium carbonate. Their effects on norepinephrine metabolism in patients with primary, major depressions.
abstract: Effects of electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) and lithium carbonate on norepinephrine metabolism were investigated in eight patients with primary, major depressions. A series of 12 ECTs reduced urinary norepinephrine and normetanephrine output significantly, and showed a tendency to reduce urinary vanillylmandelic acid output as well as whole-body norepinephrine turnover. Treatment with lithium carbonate significantly reduced urinary norepinephrine, normetanephrine, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, and vanillylmandelic acid output as well as whole-body norepinephrine turnover. These findings point to a common effect of antidepressant treatments since they are similar to results produced by administration of three other types of antidepressant drugs: clorgiline, a specific monoamine oxidase A inhibitor; desipramine, a relatively specific norepinephrine reuptake Inhibitor; and zimelidine, a relatively specific serotonin reuptake Inhibitor. These drugs reduce total production of norepinephrine and/or its major metabolites in depressed patients. Thus, five antidepressant treatments with different mechanisms of action have a common overall effect on the system.
mesh_terms: D001977:Brompheniramine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D003010:Clorgyline / Q000494:pharmacology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D009647:Normetanephrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid / Q000652:urine; D015031:Zimeldine
chemical_list: D009647:Normetanephrine; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D015031:Zimeldine; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid; D008094:Lithium; D001977:Brompheniramine; D003010:Clorgyline; D003891:Desipramine; D009638:Norepinephrine