title: The psychomotor and cognitive effects of litoxetine in young and middle aged volunteers.
abstract: 1. The effects of a range of doses of litoxetine (twice daily for 4 days), a novel specific serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, were evaluated in young and middle aged volunteers. 2. Psychometric testing was carried out at various time points on days 1 and 4 of each treatment period. The test battery consisted of critical flicker fusion (CFF), choice reaction time (CRT), compensatory tracking (CTT), Stroop and Sternberg memory scanning tests. Subjective feelings of sleep and sedation were measured by the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (LSEQ) and line analogue rating scales (LARS). 3. Pharmacokinetic profiles were determined from analyses of blood samples taken after the final dose on day 5. 4. Overall, there were few changes in any of the psychometric tests and although the higher doses of litoxetine improved CFF, these effects were weak in that differences could only be detected when the results were pooled against time. 5. The pharmacokinetic profile of litoxetine was very similar in both the young and middle aged subjects, and there was no difference regarding tolerability. 6. There is little evidence from this study to suggest that litoxetine has any intrinsic sedative activity which is likely to interfere with the performance of activities of everyday life.
authors.affiliation: Human Psychopharmacology Research Unit, University of Surrey, Milford Hospital, Godalming, UK.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Fairweather
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patat
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosenzweig
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Curson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dunmore
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dubruc
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hindmarch
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005425:Flicker Fusion / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D010880:Piperidines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010880:Piperidines; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C057048:litoxetine