[Depression and response: impact of personality and cognition]. / Depression und Response: Der Einfluss von Persönlichkeit und Kognition.

OBJECTIVE: Despite effective pharmacologic and therapeutic strategies some patients do not sufficiently benefit from antidepressive treatment. The influence of personality and cognition onto response in depressive inpatients shall be explored. METHODS: Depressive inpatients were rated concerning depressive pathology immediately after admission as well as at discharge. In addition, prior to discharge, cognitive performance and personality traits were measured. The sample was divided into responders and nonresponders by the reduction of depressive symptoms from admission to discharge. For the assumption of response, a reduction of minimum 50 % was defined. RESULTS: Preliminary results suggest an impact of personality traits onto response in depressive patients, particularly extraversion seems to have a salutary effect. Furthermore, significant differences between responders and nonresponders were shown concerning alertness. CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of non-response depression, cognitive and personality traits should be taken in account by using multimodal strategies.

The impact of reboxetine and mirtazapine on driving simulator performance and psychomotor function in depressed patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of reboxetine and mirtazapine on psychomotor functions related to driving skills and on driving simulator performance in depressed inpatients. METHOD: Forty depressed inpatients diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR criteria were randomly assigned to treatment with either reboxetine (N = 20) or mirtazapine (N = 20). To control for retest effects in psychomotor measures, a group of 10 healthy controls was examined on the same time schedule. Participants were tested once before pharmacologic treatment and twice after initiation of treatment (days 7 and 14) with computerized tests related to car-driving skills. Data were collected with the Act and React Testsystem ART-90 and the Wiener Testsystem, measuring visual perception, reactivity, stress tolerance, concentration, and vigilance. In addition, patients went through various risk simulations on a static driving simulator. Data were analyzed with nonparametric statistics and repeated-measures analysis of variance. The study was conducted from June 2004 through June 2006. RESULTS: Before onset of treatment with antidepressants, about 65% of patients did not reach the threshold criterion according to the German guidelines for road and traffic safety. After 14 days of treatment with reboxetine or mirtazapine, patients improved in driving ability skills. Controlling for retest effects in psychomotor measures, data indicate that both patient groups significantly improved in tests measuring selective attention and reactivity (all p < .01). Furthermore, the frequency of accidents in the risk simulations markedly decreased in patients receiving mirtazapine and reboxetine (all p < .05). Statistically significant differences between treatment groups could not be shown. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that partially remitted depressed inpatients treated with reboxetine or mirtazapine show a better performance on tasks related to driving skills than do untreated depressives.