The cerebral pathology in a case of tricyclic antidepressant overdose by amitriptyline is described. A review of the literature of similar cases is summarized. The relation of the cerebral lesions to the development of a hypertensive episode possibly induced by amitriptyline is discussed.

There are now sufficient data to suggest that lithium is an effective augmentation strategy for patients with major depression who have an inadequate response to all classes of antidepressants (1). A recent metaanalysis supports the efficacy of T3 in treatment-resistant depression (2); these studies involving T3 were in patients taking tricyclic antidepressants, although a recent study supports...

Overdoses of tricyclic antidepressants are among the commonest causes of drug poisoning seen in accident and emergency departments. This review discusses the pharmacokinetics, clinical presentation and treatment of tricyclic overdose.

Studies examining the link between sexual dysfunction and tricyclic antidepressants have noted an overall rate in sexual dysfunction was approximately 30% of men on these medications. He noted that the overall rate in sexual dysfunction was approximately 30% for men taking imipramine. A more recent study estimated the overall rate of sexual dysfunction from tricyclic antidepressants at 60%. One...

Most poisoned patients recover with little more than nursing care, though about 10% will need intensive support to maintain vital functions. Infewer than5% ofcases, however, are methods to increasepoison elimination either feasible or appropriate. Such techniques should as far as possible be undertaken only by those experienced in their use. Moreover, these methods are of little value in patien...

Of 38 adolescents hospitalized with major depression, 47% of those receiving psychosocial treatment alone responded. Of the non-responders then treated with combined tricyclic antidepressants and psychosocial treatment, 92% responded. The melancholic subtype and dexamethasone suppression test non-suppression were associated with failure to respond to psychosocial treatment alone. Implications f...

I describe deactivation treatment of the OV-17 chromatographic column to minimize adsorption of tricyclic antidepressant drugs on the solid support of the column. The procedure involves heat treatment at 399 degrees C under a low flow of nitrogen, with bleeding of OV-17 liquid phase from the injector tube into the column. The column is then conditioned with vapors of phenyldiethanolamine succin...

Acrocyanosis is probably the most unusual side effect of tricyclic antidepressant drugs. In this paper, we report a 10-year-old boy with primary enuresis nocturna and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who developed two episodes of acrocyanosis, the first of which was after imipramine treatment and the second after desipramine usage. We also review the possible pathogenesis of acrocyanosi...

We examined the effects of minaprine and sulpiride injected into the medial amygdaloid nucleus on the duration of immobility in rats forced to swim. Minaprine (50 micrograms/microliter) significantly reduced the duration of immobility, while sulpiride (50 micrograms/microliters) remarkedly enhanced it. These results suggest that the medial amygdaloid nucleus might be involved in the suppressive...

A 33-year-old man with complex partial seizures developed de novo hypertension after the initiation of carbamazepine, which resolved on discontinuation. Although rare, a variety of cardiovascular effects including hypertension have been reported with carbamazepine. Numerous mechanisms may be responsible; however, shared pharmacologic properties with the tricyclic antidepressants are suspect. Hy...