[Experimental investigation of psychophysiological effect of a new antidepressant (lofepramine) as compared to imipramine and placebo (author's transl)].

Using 24 non-selected healthy male students the effects of imipramine (single dose of 100 mg orally) and 4'-chloro-2-[3-(10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenz[b,f]azepin-5-yl)-propyl]-methylamino]-acetophenone-hydrochloride (lofepramine, Gamonil) (single dose of 140 mg orally) in comparison to placebo (doubleblind) on subjective, physiological and performance variables were examined. All subjects (Ss) received the three drugs in a completely counterbalanced sequence. On the basis of their scores on the Depression Scale of the Freiburger Personality Inventory (FPI, Fahrenberg) Ss were divided into two groups of 12 Ss each, "high depression" and "low depression" group. Two-way analyses of variance were computed. Imipramine and Lofepramine elevate scores in the mood scale, but only for the "high depression" group. For the Ss scoring lower in depression no such effect can be demonstrated. The physiological effects are similar. Reported side effects are less for lofepramine than for imipramine.