Key result
Treatment with sertraline or citalopram for six months significantly normalized personality traits in major depressed patients, with improved depressive symptoms accounting for only 0-8.4% of the variance.
Why the study?
Does sertraline or citalopram improve personality traits in major depressed patients?
Observational
Does sertraline or citalopram improve personality traits in major depressed patients?
SSRIs (sertraline and citalopram) significantly normalize personality traits in major depressed patients, an effect largely independent of depression improvement.
SSRIs may normalize personality traits beyond depressive symptoms; hypothesis-generating and requires randomized confirmation before practice change.
BACKGROUND: Recent studies indicate that selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) reduce the symptoms accompanying personality disorders and modulate a normal personality. AIMS: To examine the effect of two SSRIs, sertraline and citalopram, on personality traits in major depressed patients. METHOD: Personality traits were evaluated at baseline and after six months using the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP). RESULTS: After treatment, significant changes in the direction of normalisation were seen in all scales. To determine whether the observed changes could be explained by improved depressive symptoms, multiple stepwise regressions with the separate KSP as dependent variables were performed. Improvements in depressive symptoms only accounted for 0-8.4% of the observed variance. CONCLUSIONS: In depressed patients treated with SSRIs significant effects are seen on personality traits measured by the KSP.
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Ekselius et al. (1999) conducted an observational in Major depression. Sertraline and citalopram vs. Baseline (pre-treatment) was evaluated on Changes in personality traits measured by the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP). Treatment with sertraline or citalopram for six months significantly normalized personality traits in major depressed patients, with improved depressive symptoms accounting for only 0-8.4% of the variance.
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