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The British Journal of Psychiatry 140: 181-184 (1982)
© 1982 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Pupil studies in depressed patients: an investigation of the mechanism of action of desipramine

E Shur and S Checkley

Six depressed patients were treated routinely with desipramine, a relatively selective noradrenergic uptake blocking drug. After 0, 1 and 3 weeks' treatment, pupillary responses to tyramine, phenylephrine and pilocarpine were measured using a photographic techniques. Both 1 and 3 weeks' treatment significantly inhibited tyramine and phenylephrine- induced mydriasis, but did not inhibit pilocarpine-induced miosis; in fact the longer treatment enhanced miosis due to pilocarpine. Resting pupil size was significantly increased after 1 and 3 weeks' treatment. The findings can be explained by the known ability of desipramine to block noradrenaline uptake and alpha adrenoceptors: they provide no evidence of muscarinic receptor blockade or of a slowly developing adaptation at alpha adrenoceptors.




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Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
Copyright © 1982 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.