title: Acute fluoxetine modulates emotional processing in young adult volunteers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fluoxetine is generally regarded as the first-line pharmacological treatment for young people, as it is believed to show a more favourable benefit:risk ratio than other antidepressants. However, the mechanisms through which fluoxetine influences symptoms in youth have been little investigated. This study examined whether acute administration of fluoxetine in a sample of young healthy adults altered the processing of affective information, including positive, sad and anger cues.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 35 male and female volunteers aged between 18 and 21 years old were randomized to receive a single 20 mg dose of fluoxetine or placebo. At 6 h after administration, participants completed a facial expression recognition task, an emotion-potentiated startle task, an attentional dot-probe task and the Rapid Serial Visual Presentation. Subjective ratings of mood, anxiety and side effects were also taken pre- and post-fluoxetine/placebo administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative to placebo-treated participants, participants receiving fluoxetine were less accurate at identifying anger and sadness and did not show the emotion-potentiated startle effect. There were no overall significant effects of fluoxetine on subjective ratings of mood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fluoxetine can modulate emotional processing after a single dose in young adults. This pattern of effects suggests a potential cognitive mechanism for the greater benefit:risk ratio of fluoxetine in adolescent patients.
authors: University Department of Psychiatry,Warneford Hospital,Oxford,UK.
authors: L P
authors: LP
authors: Capitão
authors: University Department of Psychiatry,Warneford Hospital,Oxford,UK.
authors: S E
authors: SE
authors: Murphy
authors: University Department of Psychiatry,Warneford Hospital,Oxford,UK.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Browning
authors: University Department of Psychiatry,Warneford Hospital,Oxford,UK.
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Cowen
authors: University Department of Psychiatry,Warneford Hospital,Oxford,UK.
authors: C J
authors: CJ
authors: Harmer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D005473:Fluoxetine
keywords: Adolescent depression; anger processing; antidepressants; anxiety; fluoxetine; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors