OBJECTIVE: To establish the therapeutic effect profile of sertraline in major depression. It was hypothesized that the antidepressant effect of sertraline showed three phases: Phase 1 where improvements in anxiety are most pronounced; Phase 2 where the greatest improvements are in depressive symptoms; and Phase 3 where the symptoms of anhedonia show the most improvement. To test this hypothesis, an 8-week, open-label study was conducted. METHODS: Patients with a major depressive episode (DSM-IV) and a score > or = 24 on the 17-item HAM-D were enrolled and treated with sertraline 50-150 mg/day. The three symptomatic clusters, anxiety, depression and hedonia, were defined a priori using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician rated (IDS-C). Periods of interest were: Days 0-7 for anxiety, Days 7-21 for depression and Days 21-56 for anhedonia. Raters were blinded as to the constitution of the clusters and periods. RESULTS: 140 patients were recruited. Improvement in the anxiety cluster of the IDS-C was greatest during Days 0-7, whereas over Days 7-21 most improvement was observed in the depression cluster and the greatest improvement in the hedonic cluster occurred during Days 21-56. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results are consistent with the hypothesis that the therapeutic effects of sertraline occur in a sequential manner. The symptoms of anxiety improved first, followed by depression and then anhedonia.
OBJECTIVE: To establish the therapeutic effect profile of sertraline in major depression. It was hypothesized that the antidepressant effect of sertraline showed three phases: Phase 1 where improvements in anxiety are most pronounced; Phase 2 where the greatest improvements are in depressive symptoms; and Phase 3 where the symptoms of anhedonia show the most improvement. To test this hypothesis, an 8-week, open-label study was conducted. METHODS:Patients with a major depressive episode (DSM-IV) and a score > or = 24 on the 17-item HAM-D were enrolled and treated with sertraline 50-150 mg/day. The three symptomatic clusters, anxiety, depression and hedonia, were defined a priori using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician rated (IDS-C). Periods of interest were: Days 0-7 for anxiety, Days 7-21 for depression and Days 21-56 for anhedonia. Raters were blinded as to the constitution of the clusters and periods. RESULTS: 140 patients were recruited. Improvement in the anxiety cluster of the IDS-C was greatest during Days 0-7, whereas over Days 7-21 most improvement was observed in the depression cluster and the greatest improvement in the hedonic cluster occurred during Days 21-56. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results are consistent with the hypothesis that the therapeutic effects of sertraline occur in a sequential manner. The symptoms of anxiety improved first, followed by depression and then anhedonia.
Authors: Níall Lally; Allison C Nugent; David A Luckenbaugh; Mark J Niciu; Jonathan P Roiser; Carlos A Zarate Journal: J Psychopharmacol Date: 2015-02-17 Impact factor: 4.153
Authors: Andre Der-Avakian; Michelle S Mazei-Robison; James P Kesby; Eric J Nestler; Athina Markou Journal: Biol Psychiatry Date: 2014-01-31 Impact factor: 13.382
Authors: Rezvan Ameli; David A Luckenbaugh; Neda F Gould; M Kathleen Holmes; Níall Lally; Elizabeth D Ballard; Carlos A Zarate Journal: PeerJ Date: 2014-06-17 Impact factor: 2.984
Authors: Murilo S de Abreu; Fabiano Costa; Ana C V V Giacomini; Konstantin A Demin; Konstantin N Zabegalov; Gleb O Maslov; Yuriy M Kositsyn; Elena V Petersen; Tatiana Strekalova; Denis B Rosemberg; Allan V Kalueff Journal: Int J Neuropsychopharmacol Date: 2022-04-19 Impact factor: 5.678