Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32913021›Full record

Trial reportNeurology2020

Effect of escitalopram dose and treatment duration on CSF Aβ levels in healthy older adults: A controlled clinical trial.

Yvette I Sheline, B Joy Snider, Joanne C Beer, Darsol Seok, Anne M Fagan, Raymond F Suckow, Jin-Moo Lee, Teresa Waligorska, Magdalena Korecka, Irem Aselcioglu and 3 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · greenAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Neurology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02161458 (Escitalopram Effects on CSF Amyloid Beta Total Concentrations), which is not on this map. Cited by 29 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
29citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.4field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT02161458 phase4completednot on this map

Escitalopram Effects on CSF Amyloid Beta Total Concentrations

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of PennsylvaniaRan2014 to 2019Enrolled98ConditionsAmyloid Beta ProteinArmsEscitalopram 20mg for 2 weeks, Escitalopram 20mg for 8 weeks, Escitalopram 30mg for 8 weeks, Placebo
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

29 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 42 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Sex differences in neuromodulatory subcortical systems and their implications for Alzheimer's disease.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026
    Review
  4. Relationship Between SSRI Exposure During Later Life and Clinical and Neuropathological Correlates of Dementia.The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry · 2026
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Metabolomic and lipidomic signatures in autosomal dominant and late-onset Alzheimer's disease brains.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2023
    Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Serotonin 5-HTInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2022
    Article
  17. Review
  18. Review
  19. Review
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Yvette I ShelineFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York. sheline@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
B Joy SniderFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.
Joanne C BeerFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.ORCID 0000-0001-8583-8467
Darsol SeokFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.
Anne M FaganFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.
Raymond F SuckowFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.
Jin-Moo LeeFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.
Teresa WaligorskaFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.
Magdalena KoreckaFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.
Irem AselciogluFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.
John C MorrisFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.
Leslie M ShawFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.
John R CirritoFrom the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, Department of Psychiatry (Y.I.S., D.S., I.A.), and Departments of Radiology (Y.I.S.), Neurology (Y.I.S.), Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics (J.C.B.), and Pathology (T.W., M.K., L.M.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Department of Neurology, The Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders (B.J.S., A.M.F., J.-M.L., J.C.M., J.R.C.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis MO; and New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry (R.F.S.), Columbia University, New York.
New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute · US

Funding

Smartphone-Based "Burst" Cognitive AssessmentsP01AG003991 · NIA · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI Tammie Lee Smith Benzinger · 1985 to 2026
$69.5M
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ALZHEIMERS DISEASE RESEARCH CENTERP50AG005681 · NIA · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI MORRIS, JOHN · 1985 to 2019
$52.1M
The natural history of AB accumulation in preclinical ADP01AG026276 · NIA · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI SCHINDLER, SUZANNE ELIZABETH · 2005 to 2025
$49.5M
Research Education ComponentP30AG066444 · NIA · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI DAVID M. HOLTZMAN · 2020 to 2026
$28.7M
Viral Vectors CoreP01NS074969 · NINDS · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI SNIDER, BARBARA JOY · 2012 to 2021
$13.0M
CITALOPRAM DECREASES CSF AB: A RANDOMIZED DOSE FINDING TRIALR01AG041502 · NIA · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI SHELINE, YVETTE I · 2012 to 2015
$1.8M
NIA NIH HHS P01 AG003991NIA NIH HHS P01 AG026276NIA NIH HHS P30 AG066444NIA NIH HHS P50 AG005681NIA NIH HHS R01 AG041502NINDS NIH HHS P01 NS074969
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo determine whether treatment with escitalopram compared with placebo would lower CSF β-amyloid 42 (Aβ RATIONALE: Serotonin signaling suppresses Aβ

methodsUsing lumbar punctures to sample CSF levels before and after a course of escitalopram treatment, cognitively normal older adults (n = 114) were assigned to placebo, 20 mg escitalopram × 2 weeks, 20 mg escitalopram × 8 weeks, or 30 mg escitalopram × 8 weeks; CSF sampled pretreatment and posttreatment and within-subject percent change in Aβ

resultsAn overall 9.4% greater reduction in CSF Aβ

conclusionsShort-term longitudinal doses of escitalopram decreased CSF Aβ CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: NCT02161458. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that for cognitively normal older adults, escitalopram decreases CSF Aβ

Indexed as

Duration of TherapyAgedAged, 80 and overAmyloid beta-PeptidesCitalopramCohort StudiesDose-Response Relationship, DrugFemaleHealthy VolunteersHumansMaleMiddle AgedPeptide FragmentsProspective StudiesSelective Serotonin Reuptake InhibitorsAmyloid beta-Peptidesamyloid beta-protein (1-40)amyloid beta-protein (1-42)CitalopramPeptide FragmentsSelective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Identifiers

PMID32913021
PMCPMC7713735
OpenAlexW3086231708

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.