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Clomipramine, a better reference drug for panic/agoraphobia. II. Psychomotor and cognitive effects

Centro de Investigações em Neurologia, Faculdade de Medicina USP, Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas USP

C. Gorenstein

Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas USP

V. Gentil

Departamento de Psiquiatria, LIM-23, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil

The present reference drugs for the treatment of panic disorder and agoraphobia are imipramine and alprazolam. The latter decreases performance and cognitive functioning. No study of such functions in panic/agoraphobia is available. Fifty four out-patients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia (PAG), taking part in a parallel groups controlled trial of imipramine (mean dose ±SEM 114±9 mg), clomipramine (50±4 mg) and propanteline (active placebo) over 8 weeks, were studied. A test battery of psychomotor and memory tests was administered at baseline, and after 1, 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. Their results were compared (at baseline and at the end of the trial) with those of a control group of 57 normal untreated subjects. There was no difference between treatments, and no drug effect on any test at any time. No consistent difference between patients and controls was detected. Given its apparently higher potency, and the absence of deleterious effects on cognitive measures known to be affected by benzodiazepines, we conclude that clomipramine is better than imipramine or alprazolam as a reference drug for panic/agoraphobia.

Key Words: imipramine • clomipramine • panic disorder • memory • psychomotor performance

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				C. Gorenstein, M.A. Bernik, S. Pompeia, and T. Marcourakis Impairment of performance associated with long-term use of benzodiazepines J Psychopharmacol, January 1, 1995; 9(4): 313 - 318. [Abstract] [PDF]