EFFECTS OF METHYLPHENIDATE IN HIV-RELATED DEPRESSION - A COMPARATIVE TRIAL WITH DESIPRAMINE

This report is a randomized, double-blind, comparative trial of desipr amine with the psychomotor stimulant methylphenidate. Twenty HIV antib ody-positive patients with depressive symptoms were randomly assigned to either drug. After individual dose titration, the mean daily dose o f desipramine was 150 mg. and methylphenidate 30 mg. daily. The differ ences in responses between desipramine and methylphenidate were not st atistically significant on various measures of depression. The antidep ressant effect of methylphenidate did not occur any faster than that o f desipramine. Both significantly reduced depressive and anxious sympt omatology over the blinded portion of the treatments. Thus, methylphen idate relieves depressive symptomatology with efficacy similar to that of desipramine, offering an alternative to patients who are unable to tolerate standard tricyclic antidepressant therapy. The dopaminergic effects of methylphenidate are likely to mediate its antidepressant ef fects.