GEPIRONE, A SELECTIVE SEROTONIN (5HT(1A)) PARTIAL AGONIST IN THE TREATMENT OF MAJOR DEPRESSION

1. The present study assessed the potential antidepressant action of gepirone hydrochloride, an azapirone serotonin (5-HT1A) partial agonist in patients with major depression. 2. Overall, gepirone demonstrated a significant antidepressant activity within the entire patient group (p < 0.001). However, when subjects were stratified based upon the presence or absence of DSM III-R melancholic features, the melancholic depressives showed little change in weekly depression ratings compared to patients without melancholic symptoms (p < 0.001). 3. Similarly, patients who were more severely ill at the pretreatment period had less improvement compared to those with more modest illness severity (p < 0.001). 4. These observations compliment those of prior studies suggesting antidepressant activity for gepirone. 5. However, a consistent efficacy comparable to conventional neuronal reuptake inhibitor antidepressants remains to be established in patients with more severe depression characterized by melancholic features.