title: alpha-Methyldopa and depression: a clinical study and review of the literature.
abstract: A review of the literature showed that a high incidence or prevalence of depression in patients being treated with alpha-methyldopa has never been documented. In their study of hypertensive patients in a general medical clinic the authors found that symptoms of depression were no more common in 42 patients treated with alpha-methyldopa than in 38 patients treated with other antihypertensive agents. As with other centrally active agents, alpha-methyldopa appears able to produce many different behavioral symptoms, including mood changes, in predisposed individuals. Because alpha-methyldopa is a DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor but does not consistently affect mood or induce depression, its effects do not support a catecholamine hypothesis of depression.
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000502:physiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008750:Methyldopa / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002395:Catecholamines; D012701:Serotonin; D008750:Methyldopa