Cited by 33Stress Responses and CortisolTreatment of Major DepressionNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Central glucocorticoid receptor-mediated effects of the antidepressant, citalopram, in humans: a study using EEG and cognitive testing

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Pariante, Carmine M., Alhaj, Hamid A., Arulnathan, Vijay Edmund, Gallagher, Peter, Hanson, Andy, Massey, E., McAllister-Williams, R. Hamish·2012·Psychoneuroendocrinology

Abstract

Our previous work in cellular and animal models has shown that antidepressants activate glucocorticoid receptor (GR) translocation, induce GR down-regulation, and decrease GR-mediated effects in the presence of GR agonists. However, whether these effects can be extrapolated to the human brain is still unclear. In this study, the effects of four days of treatment with the antidepressant, citalopram (20 mg/day), or placebo, were assessed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Central GR-mediated effects were examined by the effects of a single dose of cortisol (30 mg, orally) on two measures known to be sensitive to glucocorticoid administration: EEG alpha power and working memory function. Twenty healthy male subjects aged between 18 and 33 years participated to the study. The results suggest that GR activation by antidepressants, and the subsequent decrease in GR-mediated effects in the presence of GR agonists, indeed occurs in the human brain. Specifically, pre-treatment with citalopram decreased the well-known ability of cortisol to increase EEG alpha power and to impair working memory: cortisol-induced increase in EEG alpha power was (anteriorly) +15 to +20% (p=0.01) after placebo and +5 to +8% (p>0.5) after citalopram; and cortisol-induced increase in working memory errors was (at level 12, on average) 2.50 vs. 4.55 (p<0.05) after placebo and 4.10 vs. 3.35 (p>0.05) after citalopram. No effects were detected on alerting. These results are consistent with the notion that citalopram treatment activates GR translocation and inhibits the functional consequences of the subsequent cortisol administration. Our study further emphasizes the importance of the GR as a target for antidepressant action in humans.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.08.011

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Authors
Pariante, C. M., Alhaj, H. A., Arulnathan, V. E., Gallagher, P., Hanson, A., Massey, E., & McAllister-Williams, R. H.
Affiliations
  • King's College London (GB)
  • Newcastle University (GB)
Corresponding author
Pariante, Carmine M.
Venue
Psychoneuroendocrinology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-05
Volume
37
Issue
5
Pages
618-628
ISSN
0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2130161396
Cited by
33
References
58
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 3
FWCI
1.24
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Newcastle University ePrints (Newcastle Univesity)
Funders
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (ACF-2008-01-010)
  • Medical Research Council (MR/J002739/1)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
citalopram, glucocorticoid receptor, antidepressants, cortisol, EEG alpha power, working memory, alerting, human brain
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Cognition, Double-Blind Method, Electroencephalography, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Receptors, Glucocorticoid, Citalopram, Cross-Over Studies, Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation, Young Adult

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