Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology最新文献

{"title":"Antipsychotics and structural brain changes: could treatment adherence explain the discrepant findings?","authors":"Robin Emsley","doi":"10.1177/20451253231195258","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20451253231195258","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Progressive structural brain changes are well documented in schizophrenia and have been linked to both illness progression and the extent of antipsychotic treatment exposure. Literature reporting longitudinal changes in brain structure in individuals with schizophrenia is selectively reviewed to assess the roles of illness, antipsychotic treatment, adherence and other factors in the genesis of these changes. This narrative review considers literature investigating longitudinal changes in brain structure in individuals with schizophrenia. The review focusses on structural changes in the cortex, basal ganglia and white matter. It also examines effects of medication non-adherence and relapse on the clinical course of the illness and on structural brain changes. Studies investigating structural magnetic resonance imaging changes in patients treated with long-acting injectable antipsychotics are reviewed. Temporal changes in brain structure in schizophrenia can be divided into those that are associated with antipsychotic treatment and those that are not. Changes associated with treatment include increases in basal ganglia and white matter volumes. Relapse episodes may be a critical factor in illness progression and brain volume reductions. Medication adherence may be an important factor that could explain the findings that brain volume reductions are associated with poor treatment response, higher intensity of antipsychotic treatment exposure and more time spent in relapse. Improved adherence <i>via</i> long-acting injectable antipsychotics and adherence focussed psychosocial interventions could maximize protective effects of antipsychotics against illness progression.</p>","PeriodicalId":23127,"journal":{"name":"Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology","volume":"13 ","pages":"20451253231195258"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/55/8b/10.1177_20451253231195258.PMC10493054.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10244977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Altered whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity and brain network topology in typhoon-related post-traumatic stress disorder.","authors":"Hui Juan Chen,&nbsp;Jun Ke,&nbsp;Jie Qiu,&nbsp;Qiang Xu,&nbsp;Yuan Zhong,&nbsp;Guang Ming Lu,&nbsp;Yanglei Wu,&nbsp;Rongfeng Qi,&nbsp;Feng Chen","doi":"10.1177/20451253231175302","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20451253231175302","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Altered resting-state functional connectivity has been found in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the alteration of resting-state functional connectivity at whole-brain level in typhoon-traumatized individuals with PTSD remains largely unknown.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To investigate changes in whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity and brain network topology in typhoon-traumatized subjects with and without PTSD.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Cross-sectional study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-seven patients with typhoon-related PTSD, 33 trauma-exposed controls (TEC), and 30 healthy controls (HC) underwent resting-state functional MRI scanning. The whole brain resting-state functional connectivity network was constructed based on the automated anatomical labeling atlas. The graph theory method was used to analyze the topological properties of the large-scale resting-state functional connectivity network. Whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity and the topological network property were compared by analyzing the variance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There was no significant difference in the area under the curve of γ, λ, σ, global efficiency, and local efficiency among the three groups. The PTSD group showed increased dorsal cingulate cortex (dACC) resting-state functional connectivity with the postcentral gyrus (PoCG) and paracentral lobe and increased nodal betweenness centrality in the precuneus relative to both control groups. Compared with the PTSD and HC groups, the TEC group showed increased resting-state functional connectivity between the hippocampus and PoCG and increased connectivity strength in the putamen. In addition, compared with the HC group, both the PTSD and TEC groups showed increased connectivity strength and nodal efficiency in the insula.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Aberrant resting-state functional connectivity and topology were found in all trauma-exposed individuals. These findings broaden our knowledge of the neuropathological mechanisms of PTSD.</p>","PeriodicalId":23127,"journal":{"name":"Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology","volume":"13 ","pages":"20451253231175302"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/00/44/10.1177_20451253231175302.PMC10278414.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10664075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tardive dyskinesia: understanding current challenges in diagnosis and treatment.","authors":"David Taylor,&nbsp;Koichiro Watanabe","doi":"10.1177/20451253221144347","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20451253221144347","url":null,"abstract":"TD underlie the need for further research and accumulation of evidence to inform best practice. Given that it is difficult for clinicians to diagnose TD based solely on brief visits at the clinic, at which patients may be nervous or embarrassed about discussing symptoms, it is the authors’ hope that not only physicians but also other medical staff, caregivers, and patients alike can all play a role in monitoring for TD.","PeriodicalId":23127,"journal":{"name":"Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology","volume":"13 ","pages":"20451253221144347"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/8d/6e/10.1177_20451253221144347.PMC9893378.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10650615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The past, present and future of anticholinergic drugs.","authors":"David Healy","doi":"10.1177/20451253231176375","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20451253231176375","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In current medical practice, it is difficult to find any reports claiming that drugs that are primarily anticholinergic or those that have significant anticholinergic effects have any therapeutic benefits. These drugs fell into disrepute within the mental health field from the mid-1960s onwards, and their supposed problems extended to elsewhere in medicine after that. There is considerable evidence that this disrepute stemmed more from marketing copy rather than from hard clinical trial data. Many apparent reviews appear to repeat prior claims rather than present substantial or new evidence. This article offers a perspective rather than a systematic review as there is little evidence other than claims to review. The aim is to challenge the conventional narrative that anticholinergic effects are uniquely hazardous by pointing to the uncertain basis for claims about the harms of anticholinergic drugs, antimuscarinic drugs in particular, ending with pointers to recent research that, if realized, might underpin important possible future benefits.</p>","PeriodicalId":23127,"journal":{"name":"Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology","volume":"13 ","pages":"20451253231176375"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10493060/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10295550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of flumazenil in generalised anxiety disorder: a pilot naturalistic open-label study with a focus on treatment resistance.","authors":"Alexander T Gallo,&nbsp;Stephen Addis,&nbsp;Vlad Martyn,&nbsp;Hishani Ramanathan,&nbsp;Grace K Wilkerson,&nbsp;Kellie S Bennett,&nbsp;Sean D Hood,&nbsp;Hans Stampfer,&nbsp;Gary K Hulse","doi":"10.1177/20451253231156400","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20451253231156400","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and chronic disorders with treatment resistance to current pharmacotherapies occurring in approximately one in three patients. It has been postulated that flumazenil (FMZ) is efficacious in the management of anxiety disorders via the removal of α₄β2δ gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptors.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To assess the safety and feasibility of continuous low-dose FMZ infusions for the management of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and collect preliminary efficacy data.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Uncontrolled, open-label pilot study.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Participants had a primary diagnosis of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and received two consecutive subcutaneous continuous low-dose FMZ infusions. Each infusion contained 16 mg of FMZ and was delivered over 96 ± 19.2 h. The total dose of FMZ delivered was 32 mg over approximately 8 days. Sodium valproate was given to participants at risk of seizure. The primary outcome was the change in stress and anxiety subscale scores on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 between baseline, day 8, and day 28.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nine participants with a primary diagnosis of GAD were treated with subcutaneous continuous low-dose FMZ infusions; seven participants met the criteria for treatment resistance. There was a significant decrease in anxiety and stress between baseline and day 8 and baseline and day 28. There was also a significant improvement in subjective sleep quality from baseline to day 28 measured by the Jenkins Sleep Scale. No serious adverse events occurred.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study presents preliminary results for subcutaneous continuous low-dose FMZ's effectiveness and safety in GAD. The findings suggest that it is a safe, well-tolerated, and feasible treatment option in this group of patients. Future randomised control trials are needed in this field to determine the efficacy of this treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":23127,"journal":{"name":"Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology","volume":"13 ","pages":"20451253231156400"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10021101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9146419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Safety and tolerability of intramuscular and sublingual ketamine for psychiatric treatment in the Roots To Thrive ketamine-assisted therapy program: a retrospective chart review.","authors":"Vivian W L Tsang,&nbsp;Brendan Tao,&nbsp;Shannon Dames,&nbsp;Zach Walsh,&nbsp;Pam Kryskow","doi":"10.1177/20451253231171512","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20451253231171512","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In the last few years, ketamine is becoming increasingly common in the treatment of mental health conditions, but there is a lack of safety data informing intramuscular and sublingual dosing in a community-focused group psychotherapy setting. The Roots To Thrive ketamine-assisted therapy (RTT-KaT) program is a unique 12-week RTT-KaT program with 12 community of practice (a form of group therapy) sessions and three ketamine medicine sessions.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study reports on adverse effects of intramuscular and sublingual ketamine dosing in a community group psychotherapy setting among 128 participants across four cohorts.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Retrospective chart review.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A chart review of the RTT-KaT Program was performed retrospectively on four cohorts (<i>n</i> = 128) that participated in 448 sessions running between September 2020 and December 2021. Baseline characteristics and adverse events were captured including medication administration before, during, and after RTT-KaT sessions. Analyses by session and by individual were conducted. Chi-square test with Yates' continuity correction was used to assess side effects in subgroups from ketamine administration.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>RTT-KaT was well tolerated with none of the 128 participants dropping out of the program. Primarily, of the 448 sessions, 49.16% had elevated blood pressures post-KaT session by session. In terms of other adverse effects, 12.05% of participant-sessions experienced nausea, 2.52% had an episode of vomiting, 3.35% had a headache, and seven participant-sessions experienced dizziness. Analysis by individual revealed congruent findings.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest good safety and tolerability for RTT-KaT among individuals seeking treatment for mental health issues. The majority of participants did not experience adverse reactions and the adverse events that were recorded involved transient symptoms that were resolved with rest and/or medications. The group therapy model described provides a comprehensive approach and presents a promising model for operating a KaT program in a community setting.</p>","PeriodicalId":23127,"journal":{"name":"Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology","volume":"13 ","pages":"20451253231171512"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10225955/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9557253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Classic psychedelics, health behavior, and physical health.","authors":"Otto Simonsson, Peter S Hendricks, Richard Chambers, Walter Osika, Simon B Goldberg","doi":"10.1177/20451253221135363","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20451253221135363","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Preliminary evidence suggests that classic psychedelics may be effective in the treatment of some psychiatric disorders, yet little remains known about their effects on health behavior and physical health.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The purpose of this study was to investigate associations of lifetime classic psychedelic use and psychological insight during one's most insightful classic psychedelic experience with health behavior and physical health.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using data representative of the US population with regard to sex, age, and ethnicity (<i>N</i> = 2822), this study examined associations of lifetime classic psychedelic use and psychological insight with health behavior and physical health.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Lifetime classic psychedelic use was associated with more healthy tobacco-related and diet-related behavior (<i>β</i> = 0.05 and 0.09, respectively). Among lifetime classic psychedelic users (<i>n</i> = 613), greater Psychological Insight Questionnaire (PIQ) total scale, PIQ Avoidance and Maladaptive Patterns (AMP) subscale, and PIQ Goals and Adaptive Patterns (GAP) subscale scores were each associated with higher odds of more healthy exercise-related behavior [adjusted odds ratios (aOR) (95% confidence interval, CI = 1.38 (1.13-1.68), 1.38 (1.13-1.68), and 1.32 (1.10-1.60), respectively] and higher odds of having a healthy body mass index (BMI) [aOR (95% CI) = 1.32 (1.07-1.63), 1.36 (1.10-1.69), and 1.23 (1.01-1.50), respectively], and greater GAP subscale scores were associated with more healthy diet-related behavior (<i>β</i> = 0.10). All PIQ scales were positively associated with some health behavior improvements (overall, diet, exercise) attributed to respondents' most insightful classic psychedelic experience (<i>β</i> = 0.42, 0.18, and 0.17; <i>β</i> = 0.40, 0.19, and 0.17; and <i>β</i> = 0.40, 0.15, and 0.15, respectively), but only PIQ total scale and AMP subscale scores were positively associated with alcohol-related health behavior improvements (<i>β</i> = 0.13 and 0.16, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although these results cannot demonstrate causality, they suggest that psychological insight during a classic psychedelic experience may lead to positive health behavior change and better physical health in some domains, in particular in those related to weight management.</p>","PeriodicalId":23127,"journal":{"name":"Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology","volume":"12 ","pages":"20451253221135363"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9716448/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10830026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased amisulpride serum concentration in a patient treated with concomitant pregabalin and trazodone: a case report.","authors":"Petr Potměšil,&nbsp;Lenka Kostýlková,&nbsp;Miloslav Kopeček","doi":"10.1177/20451253221136754","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20451253221136754","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We report on the case of a 46-year-old woman with generalized anxiety disorder, paranoid personality disorder, and mild reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR). She was treated with pregabalin, trazodone, hydroxyzine, and clonazepam before hospital admission. Pharmacotherapy for the patient was changed during her first week in the hospital. Dosing of hydroxyzine and clonazepam was gradually decreased, and then these two drugs were withdrawn. Treatment with amisulpride was started on the fourth day after admission, and amisulpride serum levels were then measured three times as a part of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). The serum concentration of amisulpride detected during concurrent use of trazodone and pregabalin was approximately twice the therapeutic range for amisulpride. When the dose of pregabalin was reduced by half, the serum concentration of amisulpride decreased to therapeutic serum levels. We hypothesize that an interaction between amisulpride and pregabalin was responsible for the increased amisulpride concentration since both drugs are almost exclusively excreted from the body by the renal route. Pregabalin-amisulpride interaction might also be influenced by concomitant therapy with trazodone or a mild reduction in GFR. However, we only have clinical evidence for an interaction between amisulpride and pregabalin because after we halved the dose of pregabalin, the amisulpride concentration decreased, and the C/D ratio normalized. This could be helpful information for psychiatrists in order to avoid drug-drug interactions between amisulpride and pregabalin. We recommend TDM of amisulpride in patients treated concomitantly with other drugs eliminated mainly by the kidneys.</p>","PeriodicalId":23127,"journal":{"name":"Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":"20451253221136754"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/59/4b/10.1177_20451253221136754.PMC9716442.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"35256036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy and safety of cariprazine augmentation in patients treated with clozapine: a pilot study.","authors":"Sofia Pappa,&nbsp;Arturas Kalniunas,&nbsp;Hitendra Sharma,&nbsp;Ali Raza-Syed,&nbsp;Manzar Kamal,&nbsp;Fintan Larkin","doi":"10.1177/20451253221132087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20451253221132087","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cariprazine, a novel antipsychotic drug, is a partial agonist of dopamine D2/D3 receptors with preferential binding to the D3 receptor. There has been an increasing interest in cariprazine augmentation to clozapine; however, the evidence thus far has been only limited to case reports and case series.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the augmentation of clozapine with cariprazine in patients with sub-optimal treatment response.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Demographic and clinical information of the study population were collected from the electronic records and PANSS scale administered at baseline and 3 months. Tolerability and discontinuation reasons where applicable were also recorded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ten patients (four men and six women) with a mean age of 36.5 years (range = 26-45) were included. Reasons for cariprazine initiation included inadequate treatment response, persistent negative symptoms and/or tolerability issues with clozapine or previous augmentation options. Two patients discontinued cariprazine within the first 6 weeks due to restlessness and poor response, respectively. There was a significant reduction in the median total PANSS score from baseline to 3 months (from 59 to 22.5, <i>p</i> < 0.05), median positive PANSS score (from 11.5 to 5.5, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and in the median negative PANSS score (from 15.5 to 3, <i>p</i> < 0.05) which correspond to a 48%, 33.8% and 65.8% mean score reduction, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This is the first pilot study evaluating the effectiveness of clozapine augmentation. The preliminary evidence suggests that this may be a safe and effective practice in patients failing to adequately respond to or tolerate clozapine and/or previous augmentation strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23127,"journal":{"name":"Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":"20451253221132087"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2022-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/96/6b/10.1177_20451253221132087.PMC9685211.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40499730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex density following escitalopram intake during relearning: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in healthy humans.","authors":"Thomas Vanicek, Murray B Reed, René Seiger, Godber M Godbersen, Manfred Klöbl, Jakob Unterholzner, Benjamin Spurny-Dworak, Gregor Gryglewski, Patricia Handschuh, Clemens Schmidt, Christoph Kraus, Thomas Stimpfl, Rainer Rupprecht, Siegfried Kasper, Rupert Lanzenberger","doi":"10.1177/20451253221132085","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20451253221132085","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Serotonergic agents affect brain plasticity and reverse stress-induced dendritic atrophy in key fronto-limbic brain areas associated with learning and memory.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The aim of this study was to investigate effects of the antidepressant escitalopram on gray matter during relearning in healthy individuals to inform a model for depression and the neurobiological processes of recovery.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Randomized double blind placebo control, monocenter study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In all, 76 (44 females) healthy individuals performed daily an associative learning task with emotional or non-emotional content over a 3-week period. This was followed by a 3-week relearning period (randomly shuffled association within the content group) with concurrent daily selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (i.e., 10 mg escitalopram) or placebo intake.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Via voxel-based morphometry and only in individuals that developed sufficient escitalopram blood levels over the 21-day relearing period, an increased density of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was found. When investigating whether there was an interaction between relearning and drug intervention for all participants, regardless of escitalopram levels, no changes in gray matter were detected with either surfaced-based or voxel-based morphometry analyses.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex affects executive function and emotional processing, and is a critical mediator of symptoms and treatment outcomes of depression. In line, the findings suggest that escitalopram facilitates neuroplastic processes in this region if blood levels are sufficient. Contrary to our hypothesis, an effect of escitalopram on brain structure that is dependent of relearning content was not detected. However, this may have been a consequence of the intensity and duration of the interventions.</p><p><strong>Registration: </strong>ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02753738; Trial Name: <i>Enhancement of learning associated neural plasticity by Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors</i>; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02753738.</p>","PeriodicalId":23127,"journal":{"name":"Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology","volume":"12 ","pages":"20451253221132085"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2022-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9677158/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9163749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}