Changes in regional brain volumes in social anxiety disorder following 12 weeks of treatment with escitalopram

Metab Brain Dis. 2010 Dec;25(4):369-74. doi: 10.1007/s11011-010-9218-6. Epub 2010 Nov 10.

Abstract

It has been suggested that antidepressants, including the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have neurotrophic effects. Nevertheless, the impact of treatment with a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor on regional brain volumes in social anxiety disorder has not been studied. 11 subjects with social anxiety disorder completed magnetic resonance imaging both before and after 12-weeks of treatment with 20 mg/day escitalopram. No increases in structural grey matter were found, but there were decreases in bilateral superior temporal cortex, vermis and the left cerebellum volumes following 12 weeks of treatment with escitalopram. These preliminary findings require replication to determine their reliability, and extension to determine whether or not they are disorder specific.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Anxiety Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Anxiety Disorders / pathology*
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Citalopram / therapeutic use*
  • Depressive Disorder / drug therapy
  • Depressive Disorder / pathology
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • Female
  • Frontal Lobe / pathology
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Compliance
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Temporal Lobe / pathology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
  • Citalopram