title: Computerised psychomotor performance testing: a comparative study of the single dose pharmacodynamics of minaprine and amitriptyline in young and elderly subjects.
abstract: The psychomotor and cardiovascular effects of minaprine 100 mg, a novel antidepressant, were compared with amitriptyline 25 mg, as a positive control, and placebo in a single dose randomised double-blind crossover trial using an automated psychomotor test battery (APT), postural sway (PS), blood pressure (BP) and pulse in nine young and nine elderly healthy subjects. Analysis of variance, taking into account baseline values, showed that continuous attention test (CAT), critical flicker fusion threshold (CFFT), decision making test (DMT) and paired word association (PWA) were significantly impaired with amitriptyline compared with minaprine and placebo. Minaprine did not differ from placebo. Amitriptyline significantly lowered supine systolic blood pressure (BP) and all treatments produced significant decreases in heart rate in young and elderly. No age effect on psychomotor performance was seen. Minaprine compared favourably with amitriptyline using the APT with the doses used. The APT is useful in the evaluation of new drugs on psychomotor performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care of the Elderly, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, King's College Hospital (Dulwich), East Dulwich Grove, London SE22 8PT.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Kinirons
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Trevit
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Swift
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003657:Decision Making / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005425:Flicker Fusion / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011674:Pulse; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D014936:Word Association Tests
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011724:Pyridazines; C006149:minaprine; D000639:Amitriptyline