Maprotiline in pain-depression.

A group of 25 patients treated with maprotiline was studied to test the question of second-generation antidepressant effectiveness in chronic pain. Of this group, 18 (72%) responded with a greater than 50% reduction in their pain syndrome. It appears that maprotiline is as effective as earlier antidepressants in the treatment of pain. The enkephalin induction hypothesis is discussed as an explanation for the mechanism of action of antidepressants in chronic pain.