Single dose of mirtazapine modulates whole-brain functional connectivity during emotional narrative processing

The link between neurotransmitter-level effects of antidepressants and their clinical effect remain poorly understood. A single dose of mirtazapine decreases limbic responses to fearful faces in healthy subjects, but it is unknown whether this effect applies to complex emotional situations and dynamic connectivity between brain regions. Thirty healthy volunteers listened to spoken emotional narratives during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In an open-label design, 15 subjects received 15mg of mirtazapine two hours prior to fMRI while 15 subjects served as a control group.

Source: Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging - March 21, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Emma Komulainen, Enrico Glerean, Katarina Meskanen, Roope Heikkil ä, Lauri Nummenmaa, Tuukka T. Raij, Jari Lahti, Pekka Jylhä, Tarja Melartin, Erkki Isometsä, Jesper Ekelund Source Type: research