Alec Coppen
Encyclopedia
Alec Coppen
Alec Coppen (born January 29, 1923, in London
, England
is a British psychiatrist
. He has been widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Biological Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology
. He was given The Pioneers in Psychopharmacology Award in year 2000 by the Collegium Internationale Neuro Psychopharmacologicum.
He has received numerous awards, both in the UK and abroad. After army service in World War II
, he studied medicine at Bristol University and at the Institute of Psychiatry
in London. Later he was appointed to the Medical Research Councils Neuropsychiatric Research Unit in Epsom, Surrey, England. He is perhaps best known for the introduction of Serotonin
theory of depression. He followed this by pursuing investigations into free and total tryptophan, post-mortem brain studies of depressed suicides and studies into the platelet transport of serotonin. It is fair to state the introduction of SSRI antidepressants is due to these studies.
He was very impressed by the early work of Mogens Schou
in the use of lithium
in the maintenance treatment of univocal and bipolar affective illness, and carried out the first prospective double blind treatment, which showed that lithium was very effective in the treatment of both conditions.
He has worked on folic acid
in depression since 1970, and has consistently found low plasma and red cell folate in patients suffering from severe depression. He also showed that a folic acid supplement improved the prophylactic response to lithium. Antidepressant drugs are relatively weak therapeutic agents, only 60% of patients respond to an antidepressant compared with 40% on placebo. Combining fluoxetine
with 0.5 mg of folic acid
90% of women patients responded to treatment, an observation that may have massive implications for the treatment of depression.
Alec Coppen (born January 29, 1923, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
is a British psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
. He has been widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Biological Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology
Psychopharmacology
Psychopharmacology is the scientific study of the actions of drugs and their effects on mood, sensation, thinking, and behavior...
. He was given The Pioneers in Psychopharmacology Award in year 2000 by the Collegium Internationale Neuro Psychopharmacologicum.
He has received numerous awards, both in the UK and abroad. After army service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he studied medicine at Bristol University and at the Institute of Psychiatry
Institute of Psychiatry
The Institute of Psychiatry is a research institution dedicated to discovering what causes mental illness and diseases of the brain. In addition, its aim is to help identify new treatments for them and ways to prevent them in the first place...
in London. Later he was appointed to the Medical Research Councils Neuropsychiatric Research Unit in Epsom, Surrey, England. He is perhaps best known for the introduction of Serotonin
Serotonin
Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine is a monoamine neurotransmitter. Biochemically derived from tryptophan, serotonin is primarily found in the gastrointestinal tract, platelets, and in the central nervous system of animals including humans...
theory of depression. He followed this by pursuing investigations into free and total tryptophan, post-mortem brain studies of depressed suicides and studies into the platelet transport of serotonin. It is fair to state the introduction of SSRI antidepressants is due to these studies.
He was very impressed by the early work of Mogens Schou
Mogens Schou
Mogens Schou was a Danish psychiatrist whose groundbreaking research into Lithium led to its utilization as a treatment for bipolar illness. His work ultimately benefited thousands of patients worldwide....
in the use of lithium
Lithium
Lithium is a soft, silver-white metal that belongs to the alkali metal group of chemical elements. It is represented by the symbol Li, and it has the atomic number 3. Under standard conditions it is the lightest metal and the least dense solid element. Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly...
in the maintenance treatment of univocal and bipolar affective illness, and carried out the first prospective double blind treatment, which showed that lithium was very effective in the treatment of both conditions.
He has worked on folic acid
Folic acid
Folic acid and folate , as well as pteroyl-L-glutamic acid, pteroyl-L-glutamate, and pteroylmonoglutamic acid are forms of the water-soluble vitamin B9...
in depression since 1970, and has consistently found low plasma and red cell folate in patients suffering from severe depression. He also showed that a folic acid supplement improved the prophylactic response to lithium. Antidepressant drugs are relatively weak therapeutic agents, only 60% of patients respond to an antidepressant compared with 40% on placebo. Combining fluoxetine
Fluoxetine
Fluoxetine is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class. It is manufactured and marketed by Eli Lilly and Company...
with 0.5 mg of folic acid
Folic acid
Folic acid and folate , as well as pteroyl-L-glutamic acid, pteroyl-L-glutamate, and pteroylmonoglutamic acid are forms of the water-soluble vitamin B9...
90% of women patients responded to treatment, an observation that may have massive implications for the treatment of depression.