Differential effects of serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants on brain activity during a cognitive control task and neurofunctional prediction of treatment outcome in patients with depression.
BACKGROUND
We investigated the differential effects of serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants on brain activation in patients with major depressive disorder during a Stroop task. We predicted that pretreatment hyperactivity in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex would predict better treatment outcomes.


METHODS
In total, 20 patients underwent naturalistic open-label clinical treatment with citalopram (n = 12) or reboxetine (n = 8). We performed functional magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment.


RESULTS
There were no significant group differences in clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes or baseline fMRI activations. The group by time interaction revealed significant voxels in the right amygdala-hippocampus complex (p < 0.05, family-wise error corrected by use of the bilateral amygdala and hippocampus mask image as a small volume), indicating a posttreatment blood oxygen level- dependent signal decrease in the citalopram group. Pretreatment hyperactivity in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex was not related to symptom improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study was a nonrandomized clinical trial.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants have a differential effect on brain activity, especially in the amygdala and hippocampus.
Wagner
Gerd
G
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Jena, Germany. wagner.gerd@uni-jena.de
Koch
Kathrin
K
Schachtzabel
Claudia
C
Sobanski
Thomas
T
Reichenbach
Jürgen R
JR
Sauer
Heinrich
H
Schlösser
Ralf G M
RG
D000293:Adolescent; D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D015283:Citalopram / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009025:Morpholines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000077593:Reboxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D015283:Citalopram; D009025:Morpholines; D010100:Oxygen; D000077593:Reboxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors