A comparison of d, l-fenfluramine and citalopram challenges in healthy adults.
Dimensional personality characteristics (e.g. impulsivity) and related behaviors and psychiatric disorders are linked to abnormalities of central nervous system (CNS) serotonergic functioning. Although neuroendocrine [e.g. plasma prolactin (PRL)] responses to the serotonin agonist, fenfluramine, have been used widely to index CNS serotonergic responsivity, safety concerns constrain continued use of fenfluramine. Citalopram, which inhibits serotonin reuptake, may serve as an alternative pre-synaptic neuropharmacologic challenge agent, due to its high selectivity and absence of intrinsic activity at serotonin or other receptor families. Twenty-two healthy adults who had been administered a fenfluramine challenge before May 1996 completed a 5-h oral citalopram challenge 3-6 years later. PRL responsivity to citalopram correlated significantly with PRL response to fenfluramine for baseline-corrected maximal and area-under-the-curve (AUC) indices ( r's > or =0.49, P's< or =0.02). The magnitude of the correlations is notable given the length of time between challenges. The results support the use of citalopram as an alternate neuroendocrine challenge to index CNS serotonergic responsivity.
Behavioral Physiology Laboratory 506 OEH, University of Pittsburgh, 4015 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. janine.flory@mssm.edu
Janine D
JD
Flory
Stephen B
SB
Manuck
James M
JM
Perel
Matthew F
MF
Muldoon
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019540:Area Under Curve; D015283:Citalopram / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay / Q000379:methods; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
D015283:Citalopram; D005277:Fenfluramine; D011388:Prolactin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors