title: A single high dose of escitalopram increases mismatch negativity without affecting processing negativity or P300 amplitude in healthy volunteers.
abstract: Information processing deficits are commonly found in psychiatric illnesses, while at the biochemical level serotonin seems to play a role in nearly all psychiatric disorders. Processing negativity (PN), mismatch negativity (MMN) and P300 amplitude are electrophysiological measures of information processing. The present study was designed to replicate and further extent the results of our initial study on the effects of a low dose of escitalopram (10 mg) on MMN, PN and P300 amplitude. In a randomised, double-blind, cross-over experiment, 20 healthy male volunteers received either a single, orally administered dose of 15 mg escitalopram (a highly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)) or placebo, after which their PN, MMN and P300 amplitude were assessed. Similar to our initial study with 10 mg escitalopram, 15 mg escitalopram significantly increased MMN, while it did not affect P300 amplitude. In contrast to our initial study, however, the currently higher dose of escitalopram did not increase PN. Results support the view that a broad range of increased serotonergic activity enhances MMN, while the relationship between serotonin and PN seems more complex. The current study does not support a serotonergic involvement in P300 amplitude.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CNSR), Faculty of Health sciences, Copenhagen University, University Psychiatric Center Glostrup, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wienberg
authors.forename: B Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Glenthoj
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oranje
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015283:Citalopram / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300 / Q000187:drug effects*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000187:drug effects*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors