Befuraline, a new antidepressant drug, was studied in twenty-nine inpatients with unipolar endogenous depression. The evaluation of patients' condition was made on four different study periods by two assessors using the HDRS, the Beck depression inventory and von Zerssen depression scale. Befuraline, given in oral doses of between 100 and 300 mg/day improved the HDRS total score and the cognitive disturbances to a significant extent (p less than 0.01) after the first week of the treatment. Eleven patients withdrew from the study most of them as a result of intolerance to the stimulatory properties of the drug, however, the response was considered satisfactory in 12 of the 29 patients (41%) mostly in the "retarded depressed" class. As Befuraline proved to be well tolerated, it was continued on an outpatient basis in 11 patients, confirming the absence of clinically important untoward effects.
A group of twenty depressive patients was compared during a 3-4 month course of antidepressant therapy (Maprotiline: n = 6, age = 46.1; dibenzepin: n = 4, age = 43.0; lithium: n = 6, age = 44.5; "mixed" (maprotiline, dibenzepin trimeprimine): n = 4, age = 50.2) with a healthy control group (n = 32, age = 38.2) for subjective assessment of their depressive mood and performance as well as objective measurement of variables relating to driving behaviour. The measurements were taken 2-4 weeks after a pre-treatment period (day 1) and after 2-3 months of further therapy (day 2). During therapy, all patients felt "less depressive" and "more capable" in subjective terms. All patient groups made learning progress in the objectively measured variables (psychomotor co-ordination and attentiveness tests). By day 2, the patient groups had almost reached the performance level of the control group, providing they received antidepressant therapy (regardless of the action profile) which was suitable for the basic disorder and the symptoms, and therapy was successful in the opinion of the physician. It may be concluded that depressive patients, assuming suitable antidepressant treatment and good response, are capable of driving while under maintenance therapy.
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