A pilot study of the effects of chronic paroxetine administration on hippocampal N-acetylaspartate in generalized anxiety disorder.

Publication Type	Academic Article
Authors	Mathew S, Price R, Shungu D, Mao X, Smith E, Amiel J, Coplan J
Journal	J Psychopharmacol
Volume	24
Issue	8
Pagination	1175-81
Date Published	02/09/2009
ISSN	1461-7285
Keywords	Anxiety Disorders, Aspartic Acid, Hippocampus, Neurons, Paroxetine, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
Abstract	The neural basis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is poorly characterized. The effect of chronic administration (12 weeks) of paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, on N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a marker of neuronal viability, was evaluated in adults with GAD using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging ((1)H MRSI) at 1.5 T. We hypothesized that, pretreatment abnormalities in hippocampal NAA/creatine (NAA/Cr) would normalize with symptomatic improvement. Nine GAD patients (mean age = 41.7 year; 4 females) received 12 weeks of open-label paroxetine treatment, flexibly dosed up to 60 mg/day. Clinical outcome was assessed with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Multislice ( 1)H MRSI scans were performed at unmedicated baseline and following 6 and 12 weeks of treatment. Ten untreated healthy volunteers (HVs) (mean age = 37.1 year; 4 females) received scans at the same intervals. All patients achieved remission (HAM-A
DOI	10.1177/0269881108101796
PubMed ID	19204062