Tandamine--a new norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Clinical, psychometric and quantitative EEG studies in depressed patients.

Tandamine (AY-23,946)- a new norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor with practically no serotonin potentiation, MAO inhibition and anticholinergic activity-was administered in doses from 75 to 200 mg to a group of 20 hospitalized depressed patients. Weekly clinical evaluation including the ECDEU global score. Hamilton score and Zung self-rating score demonstrated a slight improvement which became statistically significant between the 1st and 2nd weeks of therapy. While the 'thymoleptic' properties of the drug were weak, a pronouned 'activating/stimulatory' effect of the drug was noted. Psychometric tests showed an increase in attention, concentration and psychomotor activity as well as an improvement in FPI personality dimensions 'depression' and 'inhibition', while the Taylor anxiety score did not reveal any changes. Digital computer period analysis of the EEG demonstrated, 6 h after oral administration of 50 mg tandamine, a decrease of slow waves, a significant increase of fast activity as well as a significant attenuation of the amplitude variability. Such changes are reminiscent of the pharmaco-EEG profile of psychostimulatory drugs and may represent the neurophysiological correlate for the activating/stimulatory properties of tandamine. Our finding suggest that the well-tolerated drug may be of some benefit for retarded depressions.