Effect of vortioxetine versus venlafaxine on cognitive functions in adults with major depressive disorder: A randomized-controlled trial

Background: Vortioxetine and venlafaxine are antidepressants which have shown established efficacy to treat major depressive disorder (MDD). There are no studies that compared them for their efficacy in cognitive symptoms of depression. The study aimed to compare the effect of vortioxetine and venla...

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Main Authors: Chayan K. Manna, Rajeev Ranjan, Pankaj Kumar, Shamshad Ahmad, Santanu Nath
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2023-08-01
Series:Indian Journal of Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_160_23
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author Chayan K. Manna
Rajeev Ranjan
Pankaj Kumar
Shamshad Ahmad
Santanu Nath
author_facet Chayan K. Manna
Rajeev Ranjan
Pankaj Kumar
Shamshad Ahmad
Santanu Nath
author_sort Chayan K. Manna
collection DOAJ
description Background: Vortioxetine and venlafaxine are antidepressants which have shown established efficacy to treat major depressive disorder (MDD). There are no studies that compared them for their efficacy in cognitive symptoms of depression. The study aimed to compare the effect of vortioxetine and venlafaxine on the change in cognitive scores in adults with MDD. Methods: The present study was an open-label, active-controlled parallel design randomized clinical trial. After randomization, baseline clinical evaluations by Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS) were done and coding (subset of WAIS-IV), WCST, TMT, Stroop test, PGI memory were used to assess cognition in 100 unmedicated MDD patients. They were reassessed after eight weeks of monotherapy with vortioxetine or venlafaxine. Results: Primary cognitive measure (coding score) was found to be significantly higher (Mean Difference = 0.680; 95% CI:.202 to 1.158; P = 0.006) in vortioxetine in comparison with venlafaxine. Stroop test scores (word score, color score, color–word score) were also found to be significantly higher with vortioxetine. In other cognitive measures (WCST scores: total trials, total errors score, total perseverative responses score, total perseverative errors scores; TMT-A and B scores), a significant decrease in scores with vortioxetine in comparison with venlafaxine were observed. A significant decrease in MADRS and increase in SOFAS scores were observed with vortioxetine in comparison with venlafaxine. Both the drugs alleviated the symptoms of depression but vortioxetine was better tolerated. Conclusion: Our study findings suggest that improvement in cognitive scores is significantly higher with vortioxetine than venlafaxine over the eight weeks of monotherapy. Clinical Trial registration number: CTRI/2020/07/026819 (Registered with Clinical Trials Registry- India).
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spelling doaj-art-bd22bde9fc5f4bcfb5a8a0e4037cea3d2025-02-07T11:24:48ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Psychiatry0019-55451998-37942023-08-0165881582410.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_160_23Effect of vortioxetine versus venlafaxine on cognitive functions in adults with major depressive disorder: A randomized-controlled trialChayan K. MannaRajeev RanjanPankaj KumarShamshad AhmadSantanu NathBackground: Vortioxetine and venlafaxine are antidepressants which have shown established efficacy to treat major depressive disorder (MDD). There are no studies that compared them for their efficacy in cognitive symptoms of depression. The study aimed to compare the effect of vortioxetine and venlafaxine on the change in cognitive scores in adults with MDD. Methods: The present study was an open-label, active-controlled parallel design randomized clinical trial. After randomization, baseline clinical evaluations by Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS) were done and coding (subset of WAIS-IV), WCST, TMT, Stroop test, PGI memory were used to assess cognition in 100 unmedicated MDD patients. They were reassessed after eight weeks of monotherapy with vortioxetine or venlafaxine. Results: Primary cognitive measure (coding score) was found to be significantly higher (Mean Difference = 0.680; 95% CI:.202 to 1.158; P = 0.006) in vortioxetine in comparison with venlafaxine. Stroop test scores (word score, color score, color–word score) were also found to be significantly higher with vortioxetine. In other cognitive measures (WCST scores: total trials, total errors score, total perseverative responses score, total perseverative errors scores; TMT-A and B scores), a significant decrease in scores with vortioxetine in comparison with venlafaxine were observed. A significant decrease in MADRS and increase in SOFAS scores were observed with vortioxetine in comparison with venlafaxine. Both the drugs alleviated the symptoms of depression but vortioxetine was better tolerated. Conclusion: Our study findings suggest that improvement in cognitive scores is significantly higher with vortioxetine than venlafaxine over the eight weeks of monotherapy. Clinical Trial registration number: CTRI/2020/07/026819 (Registered with Clinical Trials Registry- India).https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_160_23cognitionmajor depressive disorderrandomized-controlled trialvenlafaxinevortioxetine
spellingShingle Chayan K. Manna
Rajeev Ranjan
Pankaj Kumar
Shamshad Ahmad
Santanu Nath
Effect of vortioxetine versus venlafaxine on cognitive functions in adults with major depressive disorder: A randomized-controlled trial
Indian Journal of Psychiatry
cognition
major depressive disorder
randomized-controlled trial
venlafaxine
vortioxetine
title Effect of vortioxetine versus venlafaxine on cognitive functions in adults with major depressive disorder: A randomized-controlled trial
title_full Effect of vortioxetine versus venlafaxine on cognitive functions in adults with major depressive disorder: A randomized-controlled trial
title_fullStr Effect of vortioxetine versus venlafaxine on cognitive functions in adults with major depressive disorder: A randomized-controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed Effect of vortioxetine versus venlafaxine on cognitive functions in adults with major depressive disorder: A randomized-controlled trial
title_short Effect of vortioxetine versus venlafaxine on cognitive functions in adults with major depressive disorder: A randomized-controlled trial
title_sort effect of vortioxetine versus venlafaxine on cognitive functions in adults with major depressive disorder a randomized controlled trial
topic cognition
major depressive disorder
randomized-controlled trial
venlafaxine
vortioxetine
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_160_23
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