THE EFFECT OF SALBUTAMOL ON MOOD IN NORMAL SUBJECTS

The beta-2-adrenoceptor agonist salbutamol, widely used in the treatme nt of asthma, is thought to have antidepressant activity and possibly an abuse liability. In order to examine the mood-altering potential of this drug, a placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial was con ducted in 21 psychiatrically normal subjects. The Profile of Mood Stat es (POMS) was used to assess mood at baseline, after six weeks of plac ebo and salbutamol treatment (in either order), and after a four-week washout period in between treatments. The results showed little differ ence between treatments, apart from a tendency for salbutamol to worse n subjective mood relative to placebo during the first treatment phase only. In conclusion, the blinded, placebo-controlled administration o f salbutamol gives no evidence of mood-elevating or addictive properti es in psychiatrically normal individuals.