Correlations between Serum Ami- and Nortriptyline Concentrations and Psychomotor Performance

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Abstract
Correlations of serum nortriptyline (NT) and amitriptyline (AT) levels with psychomotor performance choice reaction performance, eye-hand coordination and divided attention were studied in 2 experiments each with 20 healthy subjects. In the 1st experiment serum NT level was measured with an isotope derivative method after treatment for 14 days wth NT. In the 2nd trial plasma AT and NT concentrations were measured with gas-chromatography after treatment for 14 days with AT. No linear correlations between levels of antidepressants and performance variables were found. Low levels of NT (< 50 ng/ml) tended to shorten reaction time and intermediate levels (50-80 ng/ml) to prolong it, when compared with reaction times during placebo. The correlation between serum NT levels and the increase of the tyramine dose in the tyramine pressor test was not significant. A new assay method for AT and NT was presented.