Premium
Critical flicker fusion (CFF) test for sedative effect of antidepressants
Author(s) -
Holmberg Gunnar
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1981.tb00732.x
Subject(s) - flicker fusion threshold , doxepin , imipramine , amitriptyline , nomifensine , sedative , pharmacology , antidepressant , medicine , arousal , mianserin , stimulant , anesthesia , psychology , psychiatry , flicker , anxiety , computer science , neuroscience , alternative medicine , dopaminergic , pathology , dopamine , operating system
It is important to know in which direction and to what extent a drug affects cerebral arousal. Critical flicker fusion (CFF) is a most reliable method for measuring this particular quality of various drugs. A semi‐automatic apparatus was used under standardized conditions, and double‐blind technique was employed. Only acute experiments are described here. Dose‐effect relationships can be demonstrated. The effect on cerebral arousal varies greatly from one antidepressant to another. Amitriptyline and doxepin were found to exert strong sedative effect, and amitriptyline‐N‐oxide an intermediate one, while imipramine and imipramine‐N‐oxide lacked this quality. Nomifensine in large doses has a significant stimulant action. Zimelidine in a low dose (75 mg) slightly, but significantly, lowered the CFF level, but at a dose of 150 mg no significant effect was obtained. At the doses 225 and 300 mg a slight increase was seen (about 2%). Various aspects of the findings are discussed in the paper.