Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
SpringerLink
Log in

False Assumptions: The Multidimensional Quality and its Relationships to Functioning of the Central Nervous System

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Depression and Drugs

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Psychology ((BRIEFSPSYCHOL))

  • 1411 Accesses

Abstract

False assumptions from an earlier era underlie most clinical research on the neurobehavioral bases of depression and the basic mechanisms of antidepressant efficacy. These assumptions greatly influenced past research impeding development of new classes of treatment drugs. They include viewing (1) antidepressants as specific for the depressive disorders, (2) drug clinical actions as lagging weeks after immediate effects on neurotransmitter systems, and (3) various drug classes, e.g., tricyclics, SSRIs, despite differences in actions on neurotransmitter systems, as having the same effects on the various symptoms of the disorders. In view of these assumptions, it is important to review basic research on the relationships of the critical neurotransmitter systems, to the regulation of the behavior and moods associated with the depressive disorders. Research on the differential relationships of the two neurotransmitter systems and behavior is summarized. The different drug classes are shown to initiate different sequences of behavioral actions in treatment-responsive patients prior to recovery. The Collaborative Depression project was able to detail these sequences of the initial behavioral actions, and that contrary to earlier reports of delay for several weeks, show that they occur within the first week. It linked drug-induced changes in serotonergic and noradrenergic metabolite concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid to different behavioral changes. Several of these important findings were, however, derived from post hoc analyses, requiring replication in a new study. The results of that study, conducted from 1996 to 2003, are reported in the next chapter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    The study had to restrict administration of a full set of patient biological tests to one time point during the course of treatment. On the assumption that the high point of drug action would be at about 2 ½ weeks, correlations of behavioral changes and drug plasma concentrations were conducted at that point, as were analyses of all relationships between behavioral changes and neurotransmitter system variables.

References

  1. Maas J. W., Koslow, S., Davis, J., Katz, M. M., Mendels, J., Robins, E., Stokes, P., Bowden, C.L. (1980). Biologica1 component of the NIMH-Clinical Research Branch Collaborative Program on the Psychobiology of Depression: I. Background and theoretical considerations. Psychological Medicine, 10, 759–7763.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Delgado, P. L. (2000). Depression: The case for monamine deficiency. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 61 (Suppl. 6), 7–11.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Katz, M. M., Maas, J. W. (1994). Psychopharmacology and the etiology of psychopathologic states: Are we looking in the rightway? Neuropsychopharmacology, 10, 139–1447.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kahn, R. J., McNair, D. M., Lipman, R., Covi, L., Rickels, K., Downey, R., Fisher, S., Frankenthaler, L. M. (1979). Imipramine and chlordiazepoxide in depression and anxiety disorders, 1. Efficacy in anxious outpatients. Archives of General Psychiatry, 43, 79–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Stassen, H. H., Delini-Stula, A., & Angst, J. (1993). Time course of improvement under antidepressant treatment: A survival–analytic approach. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 3, 127–135.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Posternak, M. A., & Zimmerman, M. (2005). Is there a delay in the antidepressant effect?. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 66, 148–155.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Taylor, M. J., Freemantle, N., Geddes, J. R., & Bhagwagar, Z. (2006). Early onset of SSRI antidepressant action: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63, 1217–1223.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Nelson, J. C. (1999). A review of the efficacy of serotonergic and noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors for treatment of major depression. Biological Psychiatry, 46, 1301–1308.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Katz, M. M., Tekell, J., Bowden, C. L., Brannan, S., Houston, J. P., Berman, N., Frazer, A. (2004). Onset and early behavioral effects of pharmacologically different antidepressants and placebo in depression. Neuropsychopharmacology, 29, 566–579.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Katz, M. M., Koslow, S. H., Maas, J. W., Frazer, A., Bowden, C. L., Casper, R., Croughan, J., Kocsis, J., Redmond, E. (1987). The timing, specificity and clinical prediction of tricyclic drug effects in depression. Psychological Medicine, 17, 297–309.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kahn, R. J., McNair, D. M., Lipman, R., Covi, L., Rickels, K., Downey, R., Fisher, S., Frankenthaler, L. M. (1979). Imipramine and chlordiazepoxoid in depression and anxiety state. I. efficacy in anxious outpatients. Archives of General Psychiatry, 43, 79–85.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Katz, M. M., Houston, J. P., Brannan, S., Tekell, J., Berman, N., Bowden, C. L., Frazer, A. (2006). A video method for the evaluation of antidepressant clinical and behavioural actions. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 9, 327–336.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Redmond, D. E., Katz, M. M., Maas, J. W., Swann, A., Casper, R., & Davis, J. (1986). Cerebrospinal fluid amine metabolites: Relationships with behavioral measurements in depressed, manic, and healthy control subjects. Archives General Psychiatry, 43, 938–947.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Swann, A., Secunda, S., Katz, M., Koslow, S., Maas, J., Chang, S. Robins, E. (1986). Lithium treatment of mania: Clinical characteristics, specificity of symptom change, and outcome. Psychiatry Research, l8, 127–141.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Secunda, S., Swann, A., Katz, M., Koslow, S., Croughan, J., Chang, S. (1987). Mixed mania: Diagnosis and treatment. American Journal of Psychiatry, l44, 96–98.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Cannon, W. B. (1929). Organization for physiological homeostasis. Physiological Reviews, 9, 399–431.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Redmond, D. E., Katz, M. M., Maas, J. W., Swann, A., Casper, R. (1986). Cerebrospinal fluid biogenic amines metabolite relationships with behavioral measurement in unipolar and bipolar depressed, manic and healthy subjects. Archives of General Psychiatry, 43, 938–947.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Morilak, D., Frazer, A. (2004). Antidepressant brain monoaminergic systems: A dimensional approach to understanding their effects in depression and anxiety disorders. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 7, 193–218.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Jacobs, B. L., Abercrombie, E. D., Fornal, C. A., Levine, E. S., Morilak, D. A., & Stafford, I. L. (1991). Single-unit and physiological analyses of brain norepinephrine function in behaving animals. Progress in Brain Research, 88, 159–165.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Aston-Jones, G., Chiang, C., & Alexinsky, T. (1991). Discharge of noradrenergic locus coeruleus neurons in behaving rats and monkeys suggests a role in vigilance. Progress in Brain Research, 88, 501–520.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Berridge, C. W., & Foote, S. L. (1991). Effects of locus coeruleus activation on electroencephalographic activity in neocortex and hippocampus. Journal of Neuroscience, 11, 3135–3145.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Page, M. E., Berridge, C. W., Foote, S. L., & Valentino, R. J. (1993). Corticotropin-releasing factor in the locus coeruleus mediates EEG activation associated with hypotensive stress. Neuroscience Letters, 164, 81–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Jacobs, B. L., & Azmitia, E. C. (1992). Structure and function of the brain serotonin system. Physiological Reviews, 72, 165–229.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Griebel, G. (1995). 5-Hydroxytryptamine-interacting drugs in animal models of anxiety disorders: More than 30 years of research. Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 65, 319–395.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Handley, S. L. (1995). 5-Hydroxytryptamine pathways in anxiety and its treatment. Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 66, 103–148.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Linoila, M., Virkunnen, M., Scheimir, M., Nuutila, H., Rimon, R., & Goodwin, F. K. (1983). Low CSF 5-HIAA concentration differentiates impulsive from non-impulsive behavior. Life Science, 33, 2609–2614.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Soubrie, P. (1986). Reconciling the role of central serotonin neurons in human and animal behavior. Behavioral Brain Science, 9, 319–36323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Handley, S. L., & McBlane, J. W. (1993). 5HT drugs in animal models of anxiety. Psychopharmacology, 112, 13–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Jacobs, B. L., & Azmitia,E. C. (1992). Structure and function of the brain serotonin system. Physiological Reviews, 72, 165–229.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Griebel, G. (1995). 5-Hydroxy tryptamine-interacting drugs in animal models of anxiety disorders: more than 30 years of research. Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 65, 319–395.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Robbins, T. W. (2000). From arousal to cognition: The integrative position of the prefrontal cortex. Progress in Brain Research, 126, 469–483.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Soubrie, P. (1986). Reconciling the role of central seroton. Pharmacology and Therapeutics 66, 103–148.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Spoont, M.R. (1992). Modulatory role of serotonin neural information processing: implications for human and animal psychopathology. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 330–350.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Carlsson, A. (1976). The contribution of drug research to investigating the nature of endogenous depression. Pharmacopsychiatry, 9, 2–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Javors, M., Houston, J. P., Tekell, J., Brannan, S., & Frazer, A. (2000). Reduction of platelet serotonin content in depressed patients treated with either paroxetine or desimpramine. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 3, 229–235.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Eriksson, E. (2000). Antidepressant drugs: does it matter if they inhibit the reuptake of noradrenaline or serotonin? Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 101(402), 12–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Asberg, M., Praskman, L., & Thoren, B. P. (1976). 5-HIAA in the cerebrospinal fluid. Archives of General Psychiatry, 33, 1193–1197.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Bowden, C. L., Koslow, S., Hanin, I., Davis, J., & Robins, E. (1985). Effects of amitryptline and imipramine on brain and neurotransmitter metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 37, 316–324.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Katz, M. M., Maas, J. W., Frazer, A., Koslow, S. H., Bowden, C. L., Berman, N., Swann, A. C., Stokes, P. E. (1994). Drug –induced actions on brain neurotransmitters systems and change in the behaviors and emotions of depressed patients. Neuropsychopharmacology, 11, 89–100.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Katz, M. M., Koslow, S. H., Maas, J. W., Frazer, A., Kocsis, J., Secunda, S., et al. (1991). Identifying the specific clinical actions of amitriptyline: Interrelationships of behavior, affect, and plasma levels in depression. Psychological Medicine, 21, 599–611.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Kielholz, P. (1968). Die Behandlung endogener depressionen mit psychopharmaia. Deutch Med Wschr, 93, 701.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center at San Antonio, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science, Walhonding Road 6305, Bethesdam, MD, 20816, USA

    Martin M. Katz

Authors
  1. Martin M. Katz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin M. Katz .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Katz, M.M. (2013). False Assumptions: The Multidimensional Quality and its Relationships to Functioning of the Central Nervous System. In: Depression and Drugs. SpringerBriefs in Psychology. Springer, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00389-4_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation