Critical flicker fusion (CFF) test for sedative effect of antidepressants.
It is important to know in which direction and to what extent a drug affects cerebral arousal. Critical flicker fusion (CFF) is a most reliable method for measuring this particular quality of various drugs. A semi-automatic apparatus was used under standardized conditions, and double-blind technique was employed. Only acute experiments are described here. Dose-effect relationship can be demonstrated. The effect on cerebral arousal varies greatly from one antidepressant to another. Amitriptyline and doxepin were found to exert strong sedative effect, and amitriptyline-N-oxide an intermediate one, while imipramine and imipramine-N-oxide lacked this quality. Nomifensine in large doses has a significant stimulant action. Zimelidine in a low dose (75 mg) slightly, but significantly, lowered the CFF level, but at a dose of 150 mg no significant effect was obtained. At the doses 225 and 300 mg a slight increase was seen (about 2%). Various aspects of the findings are discussed in the paper.
D000328:Adult; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000494:pharmacology; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects; D001977:Brompheniramine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004316:Doxepin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005425:Flicker Fusion / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007099:Imipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009627:Nomifensine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015031:Zimeldine
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D004316:Doxepin; D000639:Amitriptyline; D009627:Nomifensine; D015031:Zimeldine; D001977:Brompheniramine; D007099:Imipramine