Reading The Potentiation of the Antidepressant Effects of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Blockers by Pindolol. Blier P and Bergerom R Effectiveness of pindolol with selected antidepressant drugs in the treatment of major depression. They reported that the treatment had brought about a rapid and full antidepressant effect, even in patients who had initially faile to respond to antidepressants. At this year's New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit meetings it was also reported that pindolol poten- tiated the antidepressants. Most interestingly, pindolol was not found to potentiate the anti-OCD effects of SSRIs.
Pindolol has actions beyond blocking the beta-adrenergic system.
One of pindolol's other actions is that it is a 5-HT1A antagonist. There is reason to believe that the blockade of 5-HT1A autoreceptors should accelerate the antidepressant effects of SSRIs. With the exception of three female patients taking oral contraceptives, none of the patients were taking any other medication. Four of these patients had a prior history of depression. None of the patients had received an SSRI in the past.