Accumulation of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine in human brain during therapeutic administration

Am J Psychiatry. 1992 Nov;149(11):1592-4. doi: 10.1176/ajp.149.11.1592.

Abstract

In vivo 19fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to measure the brain concentration of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine in five patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and three with major depression. The mean brain:plasma ratio of the parent drug plus the metabolite was significantly elevated to 2.6 (SD = 1.0) (95% confidence interval = 1.9-3.3). This accumulation may have implications for understanding both the therapeutic and the toxic effects of fluoxetine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Depressive Disorder / blood
  • Depressive Disorder / drug therapy
  • Depressive Disorder / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Fluorine
  • Fluoxetine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Fluoxetine / blood
  • Fluoxetine / metabolism*
  • Fluoxetine / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Male
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / blood
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / drug therapy
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / metabolism*

Substances

  • Fluoxetine
  • Fluorine
  • norfluoxetine