Amitriptyline is an efficacious antidepressant drug .
It is , however , also associated with a number of side effects .
Degree of placebo response and severity of depression at baseline may moderate drug-placebo efficacy differences
BACKGROUND Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant that was synthesis ed in 1960 and introduced as early as 1961 in the USA , but is still regularly used .
It has also been frequently used as an active comparator in trials on newer antidepressants and can therefore be called a ' benchmark ' antidepressant .
However , its efficacy and safety compared to placebo in the treatment of major depression has not been assessed in a systematic review and meta- analysis .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of amitriptyline compared to placebo or no treatment for major depressive disorder in adults .
Amitriptyline, clovoxamine and cognitive function: a placebo-controlled comparison in depressed outpatients
No longer prescribed only for vegetative signs of depression , tricyclic antidepressants also lessen depressive cognitive distortions . Less clear is whether they ameliorate depressed patients ' other cognitive deficits in memory , information processing speed , and psychomotor performance . We tested the alternative hypothesis that amitriptyline , because of its anticholinergic and sedative properties , would exacerbate depressed patients '  cognitive disturbances .  Depressed out patients received double-blind  placebo ( n=15 ) , amitriptyline  ( n=10 ) , or clovoxamine fumarate  ( n=10 ) , a serotonin reuptake inhibitor relatively lacking in anticholinergic properties . Depression , memory , and psychomotor performance were assessed at baseline and after 7 and 28 days of drug treatment . Depression was alleviated after all treatments , including placebo . Only amitriptyline impaired performance on tests of memory , producing a significant decrement , relative to placebo , after 4 weeks of treatment . None of the treatments adversely affected performance on psychomotor tasks . These findings add to the evidence that antidepressant drugs with high anticholinergic activity can impair memory , despite alleviation of depression
Amitriptyline is an efficacious antidepressant drug .
It is , however , also associated with a number of side effects .
Degree of placebo response and severity of depression at baseline may moderate drug-placebo efficacy differences
BACKGROUND Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant that was synthesis ed in 1960 and introduced as early as 1961 in the USA , but is still regularly used .
It has also been frequently used as an active comparator in trials on newer antidepressants and can therefore be called a ' benchmark ' antidepressant .
However , its efficacy and safety compared to placebo in the treatment of major depression has not been assessed in a systematic review and meta- analysis .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of amitriptyline compared to placebo or no treatment for major depressive disorder in adults .