Induction of depersonalization by the serotonin agonist meta-chlorophenylpiperazine.
Sixty-seven subjects, including normal volunteers and patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia, and borderline personality disorder, received ratings of depersonalization after double-blind, placebo-controlled challenges with the partial serotonin agonist meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP). Challenge with m-CPP induced depersonalization significantly more than did placebo. Subjects who became depersonalized did not differ in age, sex, or diagnosis from those who did not experience depersonalization. There was a significant correlation between the induction of depersonalization and increase in panic, but not nervousness, anxiety, sadness, depression, or drowsiness. This report suggests that serotonergic dysregulation may in part underlie depersonalization.
Simeon
D
D
Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA.
Hollander
E
E
Stein
D J
DJ
DeCaria
C
C
Cohen
L J
LJ
Saoud
J B
JB
Islam
N
N
Hwang
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D003861:Depersonalization / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D010200:Panic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D010879:Piperazines; D051381:Rats; D011936:Reality Testing; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists
D010879:Piperazines; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D012701:Serotonin; C015068:1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine