title: Paroxetine in depressed adolescents with intellectual disability: an open label study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and side-effects of paroxetine treatment in adolescents with mild intellectual disability and major depressive disorder (MDD). Seven adolescents (14.7-18.4 years of age) were treated with paroxetine (dosage 20-40 mg day-1). Clinical changes were assessed at the beginning of the pharmacological treatment and after 9 weeks utilizing the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression rating Scale (MADRS). Four out of the seven subjects did not fulfil the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria after the 9-week treatment. The mean decrease in the total score on the MADRS was significant (41%). Some items of the MADRS showed significant improvement: inner tension (66%); lassitude (55%); apparent sadness (53%); inability to feel (44%); and reported sadness (43%). Three subjects showed sedation, two subjects gastrointestinal complaints and one subject insomnia; all these symptoms were transitory and not severe. No behavioural activation was evident. This preliminary, uncontrolled study of a few cases suggests that adolescents with intellectual disability and MDD may respond to paroxetine, and that adverse side-effects are mild.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Neurology, Psychiatry and Educational Psychology, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marcheschi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pfanner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D017374:Paroxetine