Effect of Bupropion Extended Release on Negative Emotion Processing in Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract

Despite the limitations of a small sample size and the lack of a placebo control group, this study demonstrated that bupropion XL therapy for 8 weeks may attenuate emotion-induced, blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) activation responses in the amygdala and related brain regions. Such attenuation may be associated with a positive clinical response in depression. Bupropion XL also improved activation in the executive-function neural network. These fMRI surrogate markers offer promise for studying antidepressant and neurocognitive effects of existing and novel therapies.