Effects of trazodone treatment on serotonergic function in depressed patients

Changes in serotonergic (5HT) neurotransmission may mediate the therapeutic actions of some antidepressant drugs. In the present study, the 5HT precursor L-tryptophan (L-TRP) was administered intravenously to nine depressed patients before and during treatment with the triazolopyridine antidepressant trazodone (TRZ). Neuroendocrine, subjective mood, and cardiovascular responses to L-TRP were assessed. Unlike tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, TRZ did not enhance the prolactin response to L-TRP and had little effect on other measures. Since other studies indicate that the TRP-induced increase of prolactin in humans may reflect 5HT function, the present study suggests that TRZ treatment does not enhance net 5HT function in depressed patients.