Showing papers by "John Potokar published in 1997"
TL;DR: It is suggested that the terror-suppressing action of paroxetine is a direct effect of its ability to increase 5hydroxytryptamine concentrations in the brainstem by blocking reuptake, and may be as effective as benzodiazepines, although formal comparison is necessary.
71 citations
30 citations
TL;DR: Results from 15 alcohol-dependent subjects in a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study showed that flumazenil was neither anxiolytic nor anxiogenic, although withdrawal scores were reduced during the course of the study.
Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to study y-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-A receptor function in alcohol-depen dent subjects during withdrawal, using the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil. In particular, we wanted to examine the hypotheses that an endogenous inverse agonist ligand at the GABA-A benzodiazepine receptor (GBzR) is active during withdrawal (in which case flumazenil should be anxiolytic), or whether chronic alcohol intake results in a shift in sensitivity of the receptor in the inverse agonist direction (in which case flumazenil should be anxiogenic). Results from 15 alcohol-depen dent subjects in a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study showed that flumazenil was neither anxiolytic nor anxiogenic, although withdrawal scores were reduced during the course of the study. The fact that flumazenil was not anxiogenic, as it is in panic disorder, suggests that the GBzR is functioning differently in these two clinically similar conditions.
28 citations
01 Jan 1997
TL;DR: Night terrors recurred rapidly as plasma and brain concentrations of paroxetine fell, and restarting treatment quickly suppressed them again, suggesting a different mode of action to the antidepressant effect.
Abstract: in clinical development for the treatment of anxiety and depression and it would be interesting to test their efficacy in night terrors. The effects of paroxetine on sleep are known and probably do not contribute to its effect on night terrors. Further evidence that the therapeutic action of paroxetine may be direct rather than through a neuroadaptive mechanism (thought to underlie the antipanic action) comes from the patients who had relapse after stopping treatment. Night terrors recurred rapidly as plasma and brain concentrations of paroxetine fell, and restarting treatment quickly suppressed them again. In one patient the treatment effect seemed dose related. The two cases previously reported to have responded to imipramine also responded rapidly, suggesting a different mode of action to the antidepressant effect. Imipramine also has
6 citations
TL;DR: There was a significantly longer seizure duration with SSRIs, compared with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and more studies are needed to see whether this is a general finding or whether it reflects individual variation.
Abstract: The effect of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on seizure duration during a course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was evaluated in a retrospective study. Although numbers in the SSRI group were small (n=13), there was a significantly longer seizure duration with SSRIs, compared with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). More studies are needed to see whether this is a general finding or whether it reflects individual variation, and most importantly, what effects, if any, this has on clinical outcome.
3 citations
2 citations