MAO inhibition and control of anxiety following amitriptyline therapy. A pilot study.
In a pilot study, 32 patients with mixed states of anxiety, depression, somatization and panic received amitriptyline for 4 weeks, the dose ranging from 50 to 300 mg/day. Steady-state plasma levels of the drug and activity of platelet monoamine oxidase were measured after 4 weeks. Clinical change was rated, using the SCL-90. Amitriptyline produced a small but significant inhibition of platelet monoamine oxidase activity (range 1.4--82%). A significant positive correlation was noted between MAO inhibition and improvement on somatization, and psychological and panic-phobic components of anxiety, but not for depression. No significant correlations were observed between improvement and combined or separate ami- + nortriptyline plasma levels.
D000328:Adult; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000097:blood; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009661:Nortriptyline / Q000097:blood; D010865:Pilot Projects
D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D000639:Amitriptyline; D009661:Nortriptyline; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase