Adjunctive Therapy in Depression: A Controlled Trial of Nialamide

A controlled trial of nialamide compared with chlorpromazine is reported in 50 hospitalized depressive patients, and results are discussed in relation to spontaneous recovery and the therapeutic effect of hospitalization.

Abstract

The efficacy of anti-depressant drugs, including imipramine and the so-called monoaminase inhibitors, and their potential as a replacement for E.C.T. remain undefined. Imipramine, which has been most extensively studied, has been shown to produce an initially lower improvement rate than E.C.T. in depressives, though after six months the results are little different (Kiloh and Ball, 1961). Dewhurst and Pare (1961) have reported that the quality of improvement in the cases who improved with nialamide in their partially blind trial was comparable to that seen with electroplexy. There is still a lack of controlled trials on the monoaminase inhibitors, particularly as regards patients sufficiently disturbed to warrant hospitalization. Harris and Robin (1960) found no evidence that phenelzine influenced recovery in these patients.