title: Effects of the potential lithium-mimetic, ebselen, on impulsivity and emotional processing.
abstract: Lithium remains the most effective treatment for bipolar disorder and also has important effects to lower suicidal behaviour, a property that may be linked to its ability to diminish impulsive, aggressive behaviour. The antioxidant drug, ebselen, has been proposed as a possible lithium-mimetic based on its ability in animals to inhibit inositol monophosphatase (IMPase), an action which it shares with lithium.
  
  
  
  The aim of the study was to determine whether treatment with ebselen altered emotional processing and diminished measures of risk-taking behaviour.
  
  
  
  We studied 20 healthy participants who were tested on two occasions receiving either ebselen (3600 mg over 24 h) or identical placebo in a double-blind, randomized, cross-over design. Three hours after the final dose of ebselen/placebo, participants completed the Cambridge Gambling Task (CGT) and a task that required the detection of emotional facial expressions (facial emotion recognition task (FERT)).
  
  
  
  On the CGT, relative to placebo, ebselen reduced delay aversion while on the FERT, it increased the recognition of positive vs negative facial expressions.
  
  
  
  The study suggests that at the dosage used, ebselen can decrease impulsivity and produce a positive bias in emotional processing. These findings have implications for the possible use of ebselen in the disorders characterized by impulsive behaviour and dysphoric mood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Masaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK.
authors.forename: Ann L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sharpley
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK.
authors.forename: Charlotte M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK.
authors.forename: Beata R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Godlewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3QT, UK.|Centre for Neuroimaging Studies, PO 089, DeCrespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
authors.forename: Nisha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3QT, UK.
authors.forename: Sridhar R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Vasudevan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK.
authors.forename: Catherine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Harmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3QT, UK.
authors.forename: Grant C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Churchill
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3QT, UK.
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Bangor University, Penrallt Road, Gwynedd, LL57 2AS, UK.
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK. phil.cowen@psych.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cowen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001393:Azoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003657:Decision Making / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D054833:Isoindoles; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*; D012201:Reward; D012309:Risk-Taking; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001393:Azoles; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D054833:Isoindoles; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; C042986:ebselen; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; C021822:myo-inositol-1 (or 4)-monophosphatase
keywords: Ebselen; Emotional processing; Impulsivity; Lithium-mimetic