The impact of the selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors reboxetine and citalopram on visually-evoked event-related potentials in depressed patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to assess the possible relationship between event-related potentials (ERP) and serotonergic or noradrenergic activity in depression. Therefore, we were interested in the impact of different monoamine reuptake inhibitors on ERP.


METHODS
Thirty-six inpatients with major depression were treated with either reboxetine (n = 17) or citalopram (n = 19) in a prospective randomized study. Before and after four weeks of treatment, visually-evoked ERP were investigated. Twenty-two patients completed the study. Monoaminergic function was determined by oral reboxetine and citalopram challenge tests.


RESULTS
P3 latency significantly decreased after a four-week treatment with either drug. There was no significant difference in the decrease of P3 latency between both drugs. We detected a significant inverse correlation between serotonergic hypofunction before treatment and the P3 latency (r = -0.739, p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
These results show that, in depressed patients, the P3 latency is decreased by antidepressive treatment. Furthermore, the results suggest that P3 latency might depend on the serotonergic rather than the noradrenergic system.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany. hetzelg@uni-muenster.de
G
G
Hetzel
O
O
Moeller
A
A
Erfurth
N
N
Michael
M
M
Rothermundt
V
V
Arolt
S
S
Evers
D000293:Adolescent; D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D015283:Citalopram / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004585:Electrooculography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000077593:Reboxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D015283:Citalopram; D009025:Morpholines; D000077593:Reboxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors