Cognitive dysfunction may be observed in depression during both acute episodes and remission. Vortioxetine is a novel multimodal antidepressant that has improved cognitive function including executive function in depressed patients in randomised placebo-controlled clinical trials. However, it is unclear whether vortioxetine is able to target directly the neural circuitry implicated in the cognitive deficits in depression. Remitted depressed and healthy volunteers were randomised to receive 14 days treatment with 20 mg vortioxetine or placebo in a double-blind design. The effects of vortioxetine on fMRI responses during an N-back working memory task were assessed at baseline and at the end of treatment. Vortioxetine reduced BOLD signal during performance of the N-back working memory task. This action of vortioxetine was opposite in direction of effect to the increases in BOLD signal described in MDD patients able to maintain task performance. The authors suggest that vortioxetine increased efficiency during effortful working memory performance.

Smith J, Browning M, Conen S, Smallman R, Buchbjerg J, Larsen KG, Olsen CK, Christensen SR, Dawson GR, Deakin JF, Hawkins P, Morris R, Goodwin G, Harmer CJ: Vortioxetine reduces BOLD signal during performance of the N-back working memory task: a randomised neuroimaging trial in remitted depressed patients and healthy controls. Molecular Psychiatry [Epub ahead of print, May 23, 2017; doi: 10.1038/mp.2017.104].

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28533517

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