Life Events and Response to Antidepressants

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Abstract
The relationship of life events and response to tricyclic antidepressants was examined among 80 outpatients with unipolar, primary depressions. Participants were randomly assigned to receive amitriptyline or amoxapine. Events occurring 2 or 12 mo. prior to starting treatment (antecedent events) were unrelated to antidepressant response. Events occurring during the treatment period itself (concurrent events) were significantly related to tricyclic response. Patients evidencing the poorer response reported almost 3 times as many concurrent events as the more improved patients. A poorer tricyclic response was associated in particular with concurrent events which were undesirable, health related and perceived as being outside of the patient''s own control. The continuing occurrence of stressor events probably interferes with treatment efforts and it may be important for the therapist to pay careful attention to the ongoing life stresses of the depressed patient.

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