All-night EEG spectral analysis as a tool for the prediction of clinical response to antidepressant treatment.

Earlier investigations have suggested that variables derived from quantified electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep analysis might predict good clinical response in an early phase of antidepressant treatment. In this report we evaluate the predictive value of all-night sleep EEG spectral analysis during the washout period before treatment. We compared the spectral EEG sleep profiles of major depressed inpatients divided into two groups according to an improvement > or = 50% on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Findings in this population demonstrate the presence of specific characteristics of the responder group compared with the nonresponder group. Delta band relative power was increased in the former group, while theta, alpha, and beta relative power were decreased. All the bands showed decrease in absolute power in the responder group. These results can be interpreted as enhanced sleep intensity in the responder group. All-night sleep EEG spectral variables are valid baseline markers of the functional differences between treatment responders and nonresponders and thus might permit prediction of clinical outcome.

Effect of moclobemide on the psychophysiology of sleep/wake cycles: a neuroelectrophysiological study of depressed patients administered with moclobemide.

The effects of moclobemide, 450 mg/day, on sleep were investigated in 12 patients with major depression. The study was carried out over six weeks, divided into three periods: (1) treatment for one week with placebo and measurement to obtain baseline values; (2) treatment with moclobemide for four weeks; and (3) one week withdrawal period. Polygraphic sleep recording, all-night sleep-EEG spectral analysis, and diurnal EEG vigilance mapping were used to determine the effects of this antidepressant. An activating effect was observed, most marked during the early phase of treatment. The most noticeable effects were on REM sleep, affecting polysomnographic and spectral sleep EEG parameters. A REM sleep habituation phenomenon was observed, and a slight REM sleep rebound effect occurred early during withdrawal. The observed neuroelectrophysiological changes appear to be specific for moclobemide and differ from those brought about by other antidepressants.

Bio-clinical prevalence or non-prevalence of drug addiction over psychiatric symptomatology.

It has been found that opiate abusers once detoxified are afflicted with personality disorders. An attempt was made to test the origin of drug abuse by comparing a group of drug abusers with personality disorders diagnosed as borderline or schizotypal with a group of people suffering from similar personality disorders but who did not use drugs. The results of the test are discussed.

[Neuro-electrophysiologic studies in abstinent and depressed alcoholic patients treated with tianeptine]. / Etudes neuro-électrophysiologiques chez le malade alcoolique abstinent et déprimé traité par la tianeptine.

A concerted study of the clinical and electrophysiologic effects of tianeptine was conducted in alcoholic patients hospitalized for 5 weeks for alcohol withdrawal cures and subsequent depression. Because of the well known manifestations of infraclinical cognition impairment, sleep disorders and greater susceptibility to undesirable effects of psychotropic drugs, which hinder health care in this type of patient, the authors investigated changes in cognitive functions and the effect of tianeptine on sleep organization and daytime vigilance. Results after 4 weeks treatment (3 times 12.5 mg/day) included: besides its antidepressant effect, tianeptine reduces the manifestations of anxiety, without sedation effects, either clinical or electrophysiologic; tianeptine has no deleterious effect on cognitive functions, on the contrary, it appears to favour recovery when they are impaired; tianeptine does not modify sleep structure, notably in paradoxal sleep; tianeptine is an antidepressant which has a good acceptability, even for a population at "risk".

A statistical evaluation of the main interpolation methods applied to 3-dimensional EEG mapping.

This paper is a review of the main interpolation methods applicable to 3-dimensional EEG mapping. The use of simple statistical comparison methods on recorded EEG maps allowed us to evaluate the qualities of interpolation methods belonging to 3 mathematical families (barycentric, polynomial, spline). A combination of a 3-dimensional representation of EEG maps and a reliable interpolation method makes it possible to obtain better spatial resolution than with standard planar mapping.

Lithium: clinical study by brain electrical activity mapping. A case report.

One of the axes of research in our department is oriented on the study of the action of psychotropic drugs on the Central Nervous System by the means of the non invasive and direct techniques of cerebral imagery. First approach: EEG mapping In depressive states, the modification of nocturnal wakefulness states observed under lithium therapy begins to be well known. However, under lithium monotherapy, few diurnal studies have been performed. EEG mapping, based on a protocol and a strict methodology, could represent an interesting technique to approach the mechanisms of lithium action in psychopathological states concerned by this type of therapy. Second approach: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) We studied the manic-depressive states in man before and after chronic administration of lithium salts. This research is performed in fundamental molecular studies, in vitro, and from modification of certain parameters in protonic NMR imagery that can be observed in these pathological states. We are participating in a research program and we preliminarily present: 1. the study by protonic NMR of the in vitro interaction between the lithium ion and water which is free or bound to the total cerebral tissue of rats (acute intravenous treatment by Li+ in different doses and at different times of tissular penetration). 2. the study by lithium NMR of the in vitro kinetics of the erythrocyte's lithium penetration in man, for the plasmatic concentrations (acute intravenous dose) considered as therapeutic in manic-depressive states. These measures performed by spectroscopic NMR are coupled with a classical dosage of lithium made with a flame spectrophotometer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A chronic arterial and venous cannulation method for freely moving rats.

A chronic arterial and venous cannulation method appropriate for pharmacokinetics studies in freely moving rats is described. Two catheters were implanted: one in the abdominal aorta, the other in the inferior vena cava. Passing subcutaneously, the catheters then emerged at the nape of the neck and were sealed by heating. In most cases (70%), 2-3 weeks after surgery, there were no problems of catheter patency. Twenty-four hours after surgery, all the animals were in good health as attested by normal behaviour and physiological parameters. Plasma corticosterone levels (544 +/- 219 ng/ml) determined at various times after an i.v. injection of saline, though 2.4-fold lower than in restrained rats (1330 +/- 292 ng/ml), were, however, indicative of a moderate stress. From a differential analysis of the factors involved in the relatively elevated circulating corticosterone as compared to basal levels, it is concluded that a prolonged postoperative period (7 days) and maintaining of the animals in metabolic cages are necessary conditions to obtain a minimal state of stress with this technique.

[Action of clovoxamine on the sleep of depressed patients. "Polygraphic recordings"]. / Action de la clovoxamine sur le sommeil des déprimés. "Enregistrements polygraphiques".

This study reports the action of clovoxamine, a non-tricyclic non IMAO antidepressant, on the sleep parameters of five patients suffering from primary depressive illness. Before treatment all subjects presented an EEG syndrome of primary depressive sleep disorder (decreased paradoxical sleep latency). Sleep recordings were made after 1 month and 3 months of monotherapy with clovoxamine. PS latency increased to normal values, sleep efficiency improved and wake time decreased, and, more remarkably, paradoxical sleep was not suppressed by clovoxamine.