Conditions: Depression Anxiety Insomnia
Keywords: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Glutamate Glutamine GABA Lexapro Lunesta Escitalopram Eszopiclone
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 19
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The study examined the effects of adding the sleep aid eszopiclone to Lexapro on mood and levels of the neurotransmitters glutamate, glutamine, and GABA in women with depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Specifically, the objective was to determine the role of glutamate, glutamine, and GABA in mediating the response the to the combined treatment. The hypothesis was that levels of glutamine and glutamate will be increased in women receiving eszopiclone compared to those receiving placebo. The antidepressant effect of the medication combination and its effect on sleep status was also assessed.

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: Lexapro for 10 weeks together with eszopiclone. arm 2: Lexapro for 10 weeks together with placebo.

Interventions: intervention 1: Eszopiclone intervention 2: Placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Subjects receive 10 mg escitalopram daily for four weeks and 10 or 20 mg for an additional six weeks. Subjects also receive 3 mg eszopiclone. intervention 2: Subjects receive 10 mg of escitalopram daily for four weeks followed by 10 or 20 mg for an additional six weeks. Subjects also receive placebo for eszopiclone.

Protocol document: