IS THERE AN ANTIDEPRESSIVE EFFECT OF THE ANTIPSYCHOTIC SUBSTANCE ZOTEPINE - COMPARISON OF TREATMENT OF DELUSIONAL DEPRESSION WITH ZOTEPINE ONLY OR IN COMBINATION WITH AN ANTIDEPRESSANT

Clinical observations indicate that the antipsychotic substance zotepi ne is effective as an antipsychotic, sedative-anxiolytic, and possibly even as an thymoleptic drug. This matter was studied by comparing the course of Hamilton Depression Scale (24-Itemversion) in three open ob servation periods involving depressive inpatients consecutively admitt ed because of depression with delusional symptoms. Group 1 was treated only with zotepin, group 2 with zotepin plus amitriptyline or maproti line, group 3 received zotepine plus paroxetine (20 mg daily). All thr ee groups showed a significant (p < 0.01) improvement in the variance analysis (no group or interaction effects). So-called delusional items improved significantly (p < 0.01) in all three groups in the course o f the study. Using a rank analysis of variance from day 1 to 14, the s um of ''affective items'' shows a significant decrease (p < 0.01), wit h no groups or interaction effects.