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Pupil Studies in Depressed Patients: An Investigation of the Mechanism of Action of Desipramine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Eric Shur  and
Stuart Checkley
Eric Shur
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London SE5 and Honorary Senior Registrar, Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ
Stuart Checkley
Affiliation:
Maudsley Hospital
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Summary

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 technique. 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 α adrenoceptors: they provide no evidence of muscarinic receptor blockade or of a slowly developing adaptation at a adrenoceptors.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 140 , Issue 2 , February 1982 , pp. 181 - 184
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1982 

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