Treatment of post withdrawal depressive symptoms in detoxified heroin addicts with fluoxetine and naltrexone maintenance

ABSTRACT

Depression is a common phenomenon which might lead to early relapse in the first few weeks after opiate detoxification. There is strong evidence that depression is related to the central nervous serotonin system. To prove the hypothesis of the impact of serotonin in depressive detoxified addicts, a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor in the after care was used. In a prospective, open clinical trial, forty detoxified opiate addict males were randomly assigned to two groups receiving either 50mg naltrexone alone or with fluoxetine 20mg. After 30 days, the depression score was significantly lower in the floxetine group, but the incidence of continued opiate intake remained higher in this group. However, the additional naloxone provocation test did not lead to withdrawal signs, proving the naltrexone maintenance