Psychometric alterations in treatment with the MAO-A-inhibitor moclobemide

Two groups of depressed patients were treated either with a selective MAO-A-inhibitor, moclobemide (n = 13) or a tetracyclic antide-pressant, maprotiline (n = 18), in a 28 days lasting double blind investigation. Before and after treatment psychopathologic symptoms were rated, motor performance was proven, and acoustic and visual sensomotoric performance were investigated. Deterioration of psychomotor performance were seen in patients without amelioration of their psychopathologic symptoms, especially when treated with moclobemide. These findings were regarded as a hint that possibly the therapeutic agent interacts with the wrong transmitter system and perhaps this is the reason for the deterioration of psychomotor functions.