Slow-drip dibenzepine infusion in depression. Proof of rapid efficacy by quantitative EEG and affect-polarity profile studies.

The efficacy of a new intensive antidepressive treatment procedure--48 h slow drip infusion with 1,440 mg dibenzepine2 and subsequent oral treatment--was investigated in endomorphous (endogenous) depressed patients. In addition to evaluations of alterations in psychopathology by clinicians, time of onset and the extent of the therapeutic effect was determined by the patients themselves using the affect-polarity profile, and by EEG power-spectral density analysis. Clinical improvement started as early as in the 3rd hour of the dibenzepine infusion and was predominantly due to an anxiolytic/sedative drug effect. The thymoleptic effect started at the end of the infusion and increased with progressing oral treatment up to the 3rd week. Neurophysiological changes were ahead of the psychopathological ones, since a statistical decrease in dominant frequency of the EEG occurred 1 h after the start of dibenzepine infusion.