Effects of the serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluvoxamine on yohimbine-induced anxiety in panic disorder

Psychiatry Res. 1993 Aug;48(2):119-33. doi: 10.1016/0165-1781(93)90036-g.

Abstract

To assess the effects of the selective serotonin reuptake blocker fluvoxamine on noradrenergic function in patients with panic disorder, an intravenous yohimbine challenge test was administered to eight patients with panic disorder before and after 8 weeks of fluvoxamine treatment and to a parallel group of eight patients treated with placebo. Fluvoxamine treatment reduced yohimbine-induced anxiety while placebo treatment had no effect on this variable. Both fluvoxamine and placebo treatment had little effect on biochemical or physiologic responses to yohimbine.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anxiety / chemically induced*
  • Arousal / drug effects*
  • Female
  • Fluvoxamine / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Hydrocortisone / blood
  • Male
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / blood
  • Middle Aged
  • Norepinephrine / physiology*
  • Panic / drug effects
  • Panic / physiology
  • Panic Disorder / diagnosis
  • Panic Disorder / drug therapy*
  • Panic Disorder / physiopathology
  • Panic Disorder / psychology
  • Single-Blind Method
  • Yohimbine*

Substances

  • Yohimbine
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol
  • Fluvoxamine
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Norepinephrine