Convulsant actions of the anxiolytic buspirone in combination with antidepressants

✍ Scribed by Sandra E. File

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 252 KB
• Volume: 3
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6222
• DOI: 10.1002/hup.470030212

✦ Synopsis

The anxiolytic, buspirone, was given to rats in combination with four antidepressants: clomipramine (3-30mg/g), desipramine (5-10mg/ kg), maprotiline (5-15 mg/ kg) and mianserin (10-15mg/ kg). Even 2 mg/ kg buspirone caused a significant incidence of myoclonic seizures, when combined with clomipramine (30mg/ kg), desipramine (5-10 mg/ kg) and mianserin (15mg/kg). Higher doses of buspirone caused seizures when combined with all doses of the four antidepressants tested. The only antidepressant to cause rnyoclonus on its own was maprotiline (10 and 15mg/kg). The universality of the incidence of myoclonus precluded any conclusions about the underlying mechanism. However, whilst it is difficult to draw cross-species conclusions, our results would caution against the clinical use of buspirone in combination with antidepressants.