Abstract
Twenty male students were treated double blind cross over with nortriptyline, chlorimipramine, or placebo for two weeks. On the 14th day of treatment the effect of drugs and their interaction with alcohol was tested in 2 kinds of learning situations. The presence of the antidepressants in plasma was checked by means of the tyramine presser test.
Alcohol alone significantly increased the numbers of mistakes in paired associated learning test. Nortriptyline alone slightly increased the numbers of mistakes in paired associated learning test and impaired backward recall of digits. Chlorimipramine alone had no measurable effect on learning or memory.
Nortriptyline enhanced the deleterious effect of alcohol on the ability to learn new material, whereas chlorimipramine antagonized alcohol in this respect. Both antidepressants significamtly shifted the dose-response graph for the tyramine effect on systolic blood pressure to the right.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Carlsson, A., Corrodi, H., Fuxe, K., Hökfelt, T.: Effect of antidepressant drugs on the depletion of intraneuronal brain 5-hydroxytryptamine stores caused by 4-methyl-α-ethylmetatyramine. Europ. J. Pharmacol. 5, 357–366 (1969)
Carlsson, A., Corrodi, H., Fuxe, K., Hökfelt, T.: Effect of antidepressant drugs on the depletion of intraneuronal brain catecholamine stores caused by 4, α-dimethylmetatyramine. Europ. J. Pharmacol. 5, 367–373 (1969)
Essman, W. P.: Drug effects on learning and memory processes. Advanc. Pharmacol. Chemother. 9, 241–330 (1971)
Fryeschuss, U., Sjöqvist, F., Tuck, D.: Tyramine pressor effects in man before and during treatment with nortriptyline or ECT: correlation between plasma level and effect of nortriptyline. Pharmacol. Clin. 2, 72–78 (1970)
Furchgott, R. F.: Techniques for studying antagonism and potentiation of sympathomimetic drugs on isolated tissues. In: Animal and clinical techniques in drug evaluation, P. E. Siegler and J. Mayer, eds., Vol. 2, pp. 256–266. Chicago: Year Book Medical Publishers Inc. 1967
Hilgard, E. R.: Methods and procedures in the study of learning. In: Handbook of experimental psychology, S. S. Stevens, ed., pp. 517–567. New York: John Wiley & Sons 1951
Knoll, J.: Modulation of learning and retention by amfetamines. Proc. of the 5th Congress on Pharmacology 4, 5 (1972)
Lehmann, H. E.: The influence of different psychoactive drugs on cognitive and memory tests in schizophrenic and geriatric psychotics, International congress series 129. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica Foundation 1967
Lindman, R.: The association value of 537 nonsense syllables for Finnish speaking students. Reports from the Institute of Psychology, University of Turku, vol. 6 (1963)
Linnoila, M., Mattila, M. J.: Drug interaction on psychomotor skills related to driving: Diazepam and alcohol. Europ. J. clin. Pharmacol. 5, 186–194 (1973)
McGaugh, J. L.: Drug facilitation of learning and memory. Amer. Rev. Pharmacol. 13, 229–241 (1973)
Modigh, K.: Effects of chlorimipramine on neurotransmission in brain monoamine neurones. J. int. med. Res. 1, 274 (1973)
Nagy, A.: Imipraminets farmakokinetik, Scand. Psychopharmacol. Soc. Meeting, Copenhagen 1974
Olsen, P. Z., Törning, K.: Isoniazid and loss of memory. Scand. J. Resp. Dis. 49, 1–8 (1968)
Osborne, J. W.: Short and long term memory as a function of individual differences in arousal. Percept. Motor Skills 34, 587–593 (1972)
Siegel, S.: Nonparametric statistics for behavioural sciences, p. 75. New York: McGraw-Hill 1956
Saarnivaara, L., Mattila, M. J.: Comparison of tricyclic antidepressants in rabbits: antinociception and potentiation of the noradrenaline pressor response. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) (in prep.)
Törning, K., Olsen, P. Z.: Isoniazid and impairment of memory. Dis. Chest. 53, 675–678 (1968)
Wallgren, H.: Mode of action of alcohol on the nervous system. Duodecim 88, 258–265 (1972)
Wechsler, D.: Measurement of adult intelligence, 3. Ed. Baltimore: The Williams & Wilkins Co. 1944. Specially modified for Finland by Fieandt, K. v.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liljequist, R., Linnoila, M. & Mattila, M.J. Effect of two weeks' treatment with chlorimipramine and nortriptyline, alone or in combination with alcohol, on learning and memory. Psychopharmacologia 39, 181–186 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00440847
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00440847