"Antidepressants In Pregnancy Tied To Smarter Kids" - Amy Norton
Children who were exposed to antidepressants in the womb may score higher on certain tests of mental abilities at the age of 12, a small, preliminary study suggests. The new study is one of the latest to look at whether kids with prenatal exposure to antidepressants – specifically, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) – are different from other kids. The question of whether prenatal SSRI use has any effects on children's development is a critical one, according to James Murrough, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry, neuroscience, and director of the mood and anxiety disorders program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "Depression is common, it's more common in women, and it's prevalent during women's childbearing years," said Dr. Murrough, who was not involved in the new study. "You put all of that together, and depression during pregnancy is a major public health issue." But, he said, it's also very difficult to disentangle any effects of SSRIs, themselves, on children's brain development. A huge array of genes would be involved, he explained, along with a broad range of environmental factors – including the mom's depression.
- James Murrough, MD, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, Neuroscience, Director, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai