Acute Disease ; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation ; adverse effects ; Glaucoma, Angle-Closure ; chemically induced ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Venlafaxine Hydrochloride ; adverse effects

In recent years, more attention has been paid to the role of the glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1, EAAT2) in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, experimental data on brain GLT-1 levels are, to some extent, inconsistent in human postmortem and animal studies. These discrepancies imply that the role of GLT-1 in the pathophysiology of MDD and the action of antidepressants remain obscure. This work was designed to study the impact of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) for 2 sessions per day for 35 days and four weeks of fluoxetine (FLX) on depressive-like behaviors in rats, as well as the concomitant expression of the GLT-1 protein in the hippocampus. Behavioral changes were assessed by the sucrose preference and open field tests. GLT-1 levels were detected by immunohistchemistry and Western blot analysis. Our study demonstrated that the animals exposed to CUS showed depressive-like behaviors and exhibited a significant decrease in GLT-1 expression in the hippocampus. Chronic FLX treatment reversed the behavioral deficits and the CUS-induced decrease in GLT-1 levels. Taken together, our results support the reduction of GLT-1 in human postmortem studies in MDD and suggest that GLT-1 may be involved in the antidepressant activity of FLX. Our studies further support the notion that GLT-1 is an attractive candidate molecule associated with the fundamental processes of MDD and may be a potential, and novel pharmacological target for the treatment of MDD.
Animals ; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation ; pharmacology ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Chronic Disease ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 ; metabolism ; Fluoxetine ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Psychological ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology

This paper summarized the Chinese literatures in the previous 5 years about the pre-clinical animal researches on the application of electro-acupuncture (EA) treatment for depression, searched in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The efficiency of EA treatment for depression and the mechanism of it were discussed, to shed light on new ideas and new fronts for the further research on depression in clinical or pre-clinical fields.
Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Behavior, Animal ; physiology ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Depression ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; psychology ; therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electroacupuncture ; methods ; Fluoxetine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Stress, Psychological ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; psychology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the efficacy of jieyu granule (JG) combined Paroxetine in treating refractory depression (RD) patients of yin deficiency inner heat syndrome (YDIHS).

METHODSSeventy RD patients of YDIHS were randomly assigned to the experimental group (JG combined Paroxetine) and the control group (Chinese medical placebo combined Paroxetine), 35 cases in each group. Hamilt Depression Rating Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Scale were used before treatment, and at the weekend of the 2nd, 4th, and 8th week, respectively.

RESULTSIn the experimental group, 32 patients completed the trial and 3 patients dropped out. In the control group, 33 patients completed the trial and 2 patients dropped out. At the end of the 8th week of the treatment, the total score of Hamilt Depression Rating Scale was (14.75 +/- 7.85) in the experimental group, lower than that of the control group (19. 06 +/- 8. 31, P <0.05). At the end of the 2nd, 4th, and 8th week of the treatment, the score of Hamilton Anxiety Scale was 17.03 +/- 4.25, 14.50 +/- 5. 13, and 11.03 +/- 4.88, respectively in the experimental group, lower than that of the control group at each corresponding time point (19. 60 +/-3. 96, 17. 12 +/- 4.14, 14.64 +/- 4.47, P <0.05, P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe efficacy of JG combined Paroxetine for treating RD patients of YDIHS was superior to that of using Paroxetine alone.

Adult ; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation ; therapeutic use ; Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paroxetine ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Yin Deficiency ; diagnosis ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the risk factors of psychiatric adverse events associated with PEG interferon and ribavirin treatment for chronic hepatitis C and assess the efficacy of escitalopram intervention for these adverse effects.

METHODSFifty-nine patients with chronic hepatitis C undergoing interferon-based treatment for 12 weeks were assessed for major depression using DSM-IV and SCL-90, and the patients identified to have major depression received escitalopram treatment for intervention. SCL-90 was used to assess the psychological condition of the patients at the forth and eighth weeks of escitalopram treatment.

RESULTSA male gender, 1b genotype, and intravenous infection are all risk factors of major depression. The morbidity rate of interferon-based depression was 32.2% with rates of hostility, anxiety, depression and sensitivity of 19.7%, 9.2%, and 5.26%, respectively. The total score of SCL-90 and scores for hostility, anxiety, depression and sensitivity all significantly declined after escitalopram treatment in the 19 patients with major depression.

CONCLUSIONSPsychological symptoms are common in HCV patients receiving interferon treatment, for whom regular psychological assessment is essential especially for those patients with drug abuse. Prompt use of escitalopram is recommended for effective control of major depression or other psychological symptoms in these patients.

Adult ; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation ; therapeutic use ; Antiviral Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Citalopram ; therapeutic use ; Depression ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Female ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Recombinant Proteins ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo probe the relevance between depressive symptoms and hippocampal volume and its metabolites detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in depressed patients who were given electro-acupuncture (EA) combined with Fluoxetine before and after treatment.

METHODSA randomized, controlled trial was conducted. A total of 75 cases of mild or moderate depression were randomly assigned to two groups: the EA group which received EA combined with Fluoxetine; the Fluoxetine group which received Fluoxetine only as the control. The 17-item Hamilton Scale for Depression (HAMD) was used to assess the depression level. The relevance between the changes of the hippocampal volume and its metabolites, including N-acetyl aspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and choline containing compounds (Cho)/Cr, and the reduction rate of the HAMD score before and after treatment of the two groups were analyzed.

RESULTSAt the end of the treatment, the therapeutic response rates were not statistically different between the two groups (73.53% for the Fluoxetine group and 83.33% for the EA group, respectively). Compared to that of the Fluoxetine group, a significant difference was shown in the EA group in the reduction rate of the HAMD scores (P<0.05). There was a negative correlation between the therapeutic effect and the HAMD scores before treatment in both groups of patients. There was no significant difference in the hippocampal volume before and after treatment. The NAA/Cr ratio of both groups increased after treatment, with the EA group increasing more. There was a negative correlation between the rate of change of the NAA/Cr after treatment and the HAMD scores before treatment in the two groups. In the Fluoxetine group, the Cho/Cr ratio showed no significant difference before and after treatment, which had no relevance with the HAMD scores before treatment either. Meanwhile, in the EA group, the Cho/Cr ratio showed a significant difference before and after treatment, which also had a positive relevance with the HAMD scores before treatment.

CONCLUSIONSThere was a significant improvement in the hippocampal metabolites in depressed patients who treated by EA combined with Fluoxetine. Those differences showed relevance with the HAMD scores before treatment.

Adult ; Affect ; drug effects ; physiology ; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Depression ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Fluoxetine ; therapeutic use ; Hippocampus ; diagnostic imaging ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; physiology ; Physical Examination ; Prognosis ; Radiography ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of depression treatment by needling at Taichong (LV3) and the correlation between the liver meridian and the frontal lobe.

METHODSForty-two patients with moderate depression at the first attack in line with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed) by American Psychiatric Association were assigned to the fluoxetine group, the needling + fluoxetine group, and the needling group, 14 in each. The therapeutic course for them all was one month. Resting fMRI scanning was performed before and after treatment using 3.0 T magnetic resonance. Data were analyzed using fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF). Paired t-test was used for comparison. Correlation analysis was performed in the fALFF images after treatment and Hamilton's depression scale.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment, fALFF values in the left frontal lobe (BA6, BA9, BA48), the right frontal lobe (BA4, BA46), the bilateral inferior parietal lobules (BA40, BA48), the precuneus (BA7), the posterior cingutate (BA31), the left occipital lobe (BA17), and the right occipital lobe (BA18) of the needling +fluoxetine group were lowered (P<0.05). fALFF values in the right inferior parietal lobule (BA40) and the right occipital lobe (BA17) of the fluoxetine group were lowered (P<0.05). fALFF values in the left frontal lobe (BA10), the right frontal lobe (BA45), the left occipital lobe (BA19), the right occipital lobe (BA17), the left precuneus (BA7), and the posterior cingutate (BA31) were lowered in the needling group (P<0.05). Hamilton's depression scale was positively correlated with the fALFF value in the left frontal lobe of the needling +fluoxetine group and the needling group, while Hamilton's depression scale was positively correlated with the fALFF value in the left middle frontal gyrus, the left parietal lobe, and the left occipital lobe in the fluoxetine group.

CONCLUSIONSCombination of needling and antidepressive agents was superior to needling or antidepressive agents alone. Changes of the frontal lobe functions were correlated with the severity of depression. More extensive correlation existed between the liver meridian and the frontal lobe, which might be the antidepressive mechanism of needling Taichong (LV3).

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation ; therapeutic use ; Depressive Disorder ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Fluoxetine ; therapeutic use ; Frontal Lobe ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDCategory III chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a common syndrome of unclear etiology with significant impact on quality of life. Because the outcomes of multiple therapies for CP/CPPS have been far from approving, the possible psychological factors have been considered to play an important role in CP/CPPS. Based on this, we investigated the role of antidepressant drug (fluoxetine) in men with refractory CP/CPPS.

METHODSIn this study, 42 men diagnosed with refractory CP/CPPS without response to standard therapy (include multiple antibiotic courses and α-blockers) were referred for fluoxetine therapy. All patients received fluoxetine (20 mg/d) for three months and were clinically evaluated before (baseline), and after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of therapy. The evaluation included a National Institutes of Health-chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI) and a Beck depression inventory (BDI) questionnaire. Moreover, the subjective global assessment (SGA) was assessed at the 4th, 8th and 12th week of therapy.

RESULTSSignificant decreases were observed for total NIH-CPSI (28.55 to 9.29), NIH-CPSI pain (14.69 to 5.19), NIH-CPSI urinary (4.95 to 1.88), NIH-CPSI quality of life (8.83 to 2.20), and BDI (34.67 to 13.95) scores compared with baseline, all P values < 0.05. Twenty-nine (69.05%) reported marked improvement on the subjective global assessment and 33 (78.57%) had a greater than 50% decrease in NIH-CPSI at the end of therapy (12th week). At the same time, the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between BDI score and each CPSI score. No adverse events were reported in this study.

CONCLUSIONSFluoxetine appears to be a safe and effective treatment in improving symptoms in, and the quality of life of, men with difficult CP/CPPS. Moreover, amelioration of difficult CP/CPPS-related symptoms could be related to a decrease in depressive symptoms.

Adult ; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Chronic Disease ; Fluoxetine ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Pain ; drug therapy ; Prostatitis ; drug therapy ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chaihu Xiaoyao Mixture (CXM) for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

METHODSOne hundred and ninety patients with MDD were randomly assigned to two groups, the test group and the control group. They were treated by paroxetine combined with CXM or placebo for 8 weeks. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated at the end of the 2nd, 4th and 8th week by scoring according Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, and the adverse reaction was scaled by Treatment Emergent Symptoms Scale (TESS).

RESULTSFollow-up study was completed in 89/92 patients in the test group, and 93/98 patients in the control group, with 3 and 5 cases dropping, respectively. The effective rate in the two groups was 84.8% and 71.4%, and the cure rate was 69.6% and 55.1%, respectively, which were significantly higher in the test group than in the control group (chi2=4.92, P<0.05; chi2=4.22, P<0.05). As compared with the baseline, significant differences in HAMD-17 total score and scores of its various factors as well as the CGI score were shown in both groups after 2, 4 and 8's week treatment (P<0.01). Comparison between groups showed that significant differences presented in HAMD-17 total score and CGI score at the end of the 8th week (P<0.01), while comparison of adverse reactions between groups showed insignificantly statistical difference (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONCombined treatment of CXM and paroxetine is more effective than that with paroxetine alone in treating MDD, and it could enhance the clinical efficacy with higher safety.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation ; therapeutic use ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; drug therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paroxetine ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study on clinical therapeutic effect and safety of electroacupuncture and Fluoxetine for treatment of mild or moderate depression with physical symptoms.

METHODSSeventy-five cases were randomly divided into a western medicine group (group A), an electroacupunctue group(group B) and an electroacupuncture plus medicine group (group C), 25 cases in each group. The group A were treated by oral Fluoxetine, 20 mg each day; the group B by electroacupuncture with Baihui (GV 20) and Yintang (EX-HN 3) selected as main points; the group C by oral administration of Fluoxetine plus electroacupunctue. HAMD depression scale was used for assessment of clinical therapeutic effect and TESS adverse reaction scale was used for adverse reactions.

RESULTSThe clinical effective rate was 78.3% in the group A, 82.6% in the group B and 91.7% in the group C, with significant differences between group C and A, group C and B (P < 0.05). Groups B and C had significant therapeutic effects in improvement of physical symptoms, and the adverse reaction of Fluoxetine in the group C was less than that in the group A.

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture can significantly improve physical symptoms and relieve adverse reactions of Fluoxetine. Electroacupuncture combined with Fluoxetine has a better therapeutic effect on depression with mild or moderate physical symptoms, with less adverse reactions.

Adult ; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Depression ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Fluoxetine ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged