[Efficacy of antidepressants selected as a function of erythrocyte membrane transport and plasma levels of L-tyrosine and L-tryptophan].

The present study concerned 69 depressed patients (26 men, 43 women). The antidepressant drug was prescribed in accordance with perturbations of tyrosine and tryptophan membrane transports (MT) across the red cell, measured in vitro after a wash-out period of ten days. After two to four months of treatment, the clinical results were divided into two groups: normal mood (AMDP - Depression Scale less than 6) and no recovery (AMDP - Depression Scale greater than 6). The initial criteria (e.g. MT) was completed by using plasma tyrosine, tryptophan and the product MT by plasma level. Indeed, the success of this treatment was corresponding to precise abnormalities of variable: (i) tyrosine and tryptophan values for imipramine, (ii) tyrosine values, plasma tryptophan and tryptophan product for desipramine, (iii) tryptophan variables and plasma tyrosine for fluvoxamine (and indalpine). The analysis of clinical failures permitted to complete our previous choice of antidepressant drug.