L-Acetylcarnitine in dysthymic disorder in elderly patients: a double-blind,
multicenter, controlled randomized study vs. fluoxetine.
Author(s): Bersani G(1), Meco G, Denaro A, Liberati D, Colletti C, Nicolai R, Bersani FS,
Koverech A.
Affiliation(s): Author information:
(1)Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University
of Rome, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppe.bersani@uniroma1.it.
Publication date & source: 2013, Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. , 23(10):1219-25
INTRODUCTION: L-Acetylcarnitine (LAC), the acetyl ester of carnitine naturally
present in the central nervous system and involved in several neural pathways,
has been demonstrated to be active in various animal experimental models
resembling some features of human depression. The aim of the study is to verify
whether LAC can have an antidepressant action in a population of elderly patients
with dysthymic disorder in comparison with a traditional antidepressant such as
fluoxetine.
METHODS: Multicentric, double-blind, double-dummy, controlled, randomized study
based on a observation period of 7 weeks. 80 patients with DSM-IV diagnosis of
dysthymic disorder were enrolled in the study and subdivided into 2 groups. Group
A patients received LAC plus placebo; group B patients received fluoxetine 20
mg/die plus placebo. Clinical assessment was performed through several
psychometric scales at 6 different moments.
RESULTS: Group A patients showed a statistically significant improvement in the
following scales: HAM-D, HAM-A, BDI and Touluse Pieron Test. Comparison between
the two groups, A and B, generally showed very similar clinical progression.
DISCUSSION: The results obtained with LAC and fluoxetine were equivalent. As the
subjects in this study were of senile age, it is possible to hypothesize that the
LAC positive effect on mood could be associated with improvement in subjective
cognitive symptomatology. The difference in the latency time of clinical response
(1 week of LAC treatment, compared with the 2 weeks' latency time with
fluoxetine) suggests the existence of different mechanisms of action possibly in
relation to the activation of rapid support processes of neuronal activity.
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