Effects of acute and chronic treatment with fluvoxamine on extracellular and platelet serotonin in the blood of major depressive patients. Relationship to clinical improvement

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Abstract

The effects of the treatment with fluvoxamine (FVX) on platelet and plasma serotonin (5-HT) have been examined in eleven drug-free major depressive patients. Acute FVX was without effect, whereas the repeated oral treatment (100–150 mg daily, 12 weeks) reduced platelet 5-HT ( -89%, P < 0.001) and plasma 5-HT ( -60%, P < 0.02). Patients who responded to the treatment at 6 weeks (Hamilton score </ 10) had significantly lower ( -39%, P < 0.02) pretreatment values of platelet 5-HT than the rest. This suggests that ‘low 5-HT’ patients may have a more rapid improvement after fluvoxamine. Platelet 5-HT and HDRS correlated significantly along the treatment (r = 0.679, P < 0.01). These data demonstrate a marked action of fluvoxamine as 5-HT uptake inhibitor at therapeutic doses and confirm that this mechanism is relevant for its efficacy as antidepressant drug.

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