[Proceedings: D-Amphetamine in manic syndrome (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Neuropharmacology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Bipolar disorder, manic phase, is characterized by elevated mood and increased psychomotor activity.
• Pharmacological interventions are crucial for managing acute manic episodes.
• Understanding the effects of stimulants like amphetamines on mania is important for treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the acute effects of dextroamphetamine (d-amphetamine) on manic symptomatology.
• To assess whether d-amphetamine exacerbates or ameliorates manic behaviors.
• To explore differential effects across manic subgroups.

Main Methods:

• Acute administration of d-amphetamine (30 or 50 mg) to six patients diagnosed with mania.
• Clinical observation and assessment of manic behaviors and symptoms.
• Subgroup analysis based on clinical presentation (elated-grandiose vs. paranoid-destructive).

Main Results:

• No intensification of manic behavior or symptoms was observed.
• Sedation and a considerable reduction in manic symptomatology occurred in all patients.
• The effect was transient, lasting only 1 to 3 hours.
• Significant improvement was noted in the 'elated-grandiose' subgroup, but not the 'paranoid-destructive' subgroup.
• Both 'drive' and 'mood' were reduced.

Conclusions:

• Acutely administered d-amphetamine can exert a short-term sedative and symptom-reducing effect in mania.
• The efficacy of d-amphetamine in mania may be subgroup-dependent.
• Further research is warranted to explore the therapeutic potential and limitations of amphetamines in bipolar disorder management.