OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of antidepressants on psychomotor function related to car driving abilities. METHOD: Depressive inpatients (n = 64) were investigated under steady state plasma level conditions. Data were collected with the ART 90 (Act and React Testsystem) measuring visual perception, reactivity, stress tolerance, selective attention and vigilance and were analyzed according to medication, severity of illness and age. RESULTS: Only 23.8% of the sample reached the criteria of at least 15% of normal controls performance. We also observed that treatment with newer antidepressants (n = 31) was altogether associated with a better performance than treatment with tricyclics (n = 33). CONCLUSIONS: These findings have important implications for a systematic examination of driving ability in depressive patients and data show that newer antidepressants may have more salutary effects on psychomotor function than tricyclic antidepressants.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of antidepressants on psychomotor function related to car driving abilities. METHOD:Depressive inpatients (n = 64) were investigated under steady state plasma level conditions. Data were collected with the ART 90 (Act and React Testsystem) measuring visual perception, reactivity, stress tolerance, selective attention and vigilance and were analyzed according to medication, severity of illness and age. RESULTS: Only 23.8% of the sample reached the criteria of at least 15% of normal controls performance. We also observed that treatment with newer antidepressants (n = 31) was altogether associated with a better performance than treatment with tricyclics (n = 33). CONCLUSIONS: These findings have important implications for a systematic examination of driving ability in depressivepatients and data show that newer antidepressants may have more salutary effects on psychomotor function than tricyclic antidepressants.