Acute effects of Paroxetin administration on parameters of neuromuscular fatigue

The serotonergic system is known to modulate central fatigue manifestations. Paroxetin (SSRI) is known to inhibit serotonin release, deteriorate presynaptic neurotransmission and explains reduced exercise capacity. SSRI affects endurance type exercises in terms of prolonged time to exhaustion and task failure and impacts cognitive skills.
In a neuromuscular context central and peripheral fatigue effects are differentiated by comparing stimulated and voluntary muscle activations. No study since now has ever looked for coherences between neuromuscular fatigue effects and the contribution of the serotonergic system.
The purpose of the presented study was to identify the role of the serotonergic system within a neuromuscular fatigue protocol which involved a pre – post maximum contraction approach.
Results
i.) the protocol caused distinct central and peripheral neuromuscular fatigue effects
ii.) paroxetine administration had no significant effect on any of the fatigue parameters
Conclusions
Paroxetine is known to firstly inhibit serotonin release after activation of somatodentritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors, thus deteriorating the presynaptic neurotransmission. However these findings of Weicker et al. 2000 were not evident in our results. They rather support the findings of Meussen et al. 2001 who did not find an interference of SSRI with performance. The analysis of data on chronic SSRI administration will probably yield neuromuscular effects which can be attributed to augmented serotonin availability.
References
Weicker, H., & Strüder, H. (2001). Amino Acids.
Meeusen, R., et al. (2000) Int J Sports Med.