Studio naturalistico in pazienti depressi trattati con farmaci serotoninergici e noradrenergici: valutazione clinica e cognitiva a sei mesi

Introduction: Noradrenaline plays an importanat role in pathophysiology of depression. Some antidepressant drugs act by facilitating noradrenergic transmission, regardless to the availability of serotonine in the CNS. As demonstrated by experimentals studies noradrenergic transmission may be associated not only to attention, but also to short-term memory and to social functioning measures. Methods: In our study we have examined the performance in cognitive tasks, such as attention and social functioning tasks, in two groups of subjects affected by a Major Depressive Episode. Subjects have been treated for six months with two different antidepressant drugs (reboxetine vs citalopram). Results and Conclusion: Results showed a significant improvement in cognitive functions in the groupe treated with reboxetine.