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Original Article |
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Neuropsychopharmacology (2000) 23 13-19.10.1038/sj.npp.1395497
Effects of Antidepressants on Weight and on the Plasma Levels of Leptin, TNF- and Soluble TNF Receptors: A Longitudinal Study in Patients Treated with Amitriptyline or Paroxetine
Dunja Hinze-Selch MD, Andreas Schuld MD, Thomas Kraus MD, Martin Kühn MD, Manfred Uhr MD, Monika Haack MA and Thomas Pollmächer MD |
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Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
Correspondence: Dr Thomas Pollmächer, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 10, D-80804 Munich, Germany
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ABSTRACT
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Leptin, tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-), and soluble TNF receptors are involved in weight regulation. Antipsychotic agents, such as clozapine, induce weight gain and increase circulating levels of these cytokines. To assess whether obesity-inducing antidepressants have a similar effect, we measured plasma cytokine levels in depressive inpatients during the first six weeks of treatment with tricyclic agents (amitriptyline or nortriptyline, n = 12), with paroxetine (n = 10), or without medication (n = 14). There was an increase in the body mass index at week 6 of treatment with the tricyclics, which was preceded by a significant increase in soluble TNF receptor p75 plasma levels. Circulating levels of leptin were not affected. Paroxetine and drug-free treatment did not affect any of these parameters. We conclude that weight gain induced by psychotropic agents may occur without increased circulating levels of leptin. However, activation of the TNF- system might be an early and sensitive marker of ensuing weight gain.
Keywords: Soluble TNF receptors; Leptin; Body mass index; Tricyclic antidepressants; Serotonin reuptake inhibitor; Drug-free |
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