US Pharm. 2016;41(7):12.
Helsinki, Finland—According to new research from the University of Helsinki, fetal exposure to commonly used serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) may change brain activity in newborns. The study, which included 22 mothers taking SRIs and 62 controls not taking SRIs, distinguished drug-related developmental effects from postnatal environmental effects such as mother-baby relationship changes due to maternal depression. Structured behavioral and neurologic assessments of the neonates revealed only minor effects from fetal SRI exposure, but brain electrical activity exhibited several differences between the study groups. The most important differences relate to less-organized communication between brain hemispheres, as well as weaker synchronization between cortical rhythms. Findings did not correlate with maternal anxiety or depression scores.
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