October 16, 2006
A recent study is providing new insight as to why some adolescents become more aggressive and even suicidal while taking the antidepressant Prozac (fluoxetine).
Researchers at the University of Texas found that when given low doses of Prozac , adolescent hamsters became more aggressive compared with adult hamsters, which remained calm. Even though the study was conducted on animals, the findings may have implications for humans.
“We do know from adolescent studies that the brain continues to mature during adolescence, and even the early adult years. So, this study is an important study in that it reminds us that further research is really necessary to look at how an evolving central nervous system responds to different stimuli,” said Dr. Jon Shaw.
Antidepressant use in children and adolescents has been controversial since October 2004 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required that drugs known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) carry a black box label, warning of the increased risk of suicide in the pediatric population.
The authors of the study, which is published in the current issue of Behavioral Neuroscience , noted that aggressive or suicidal behavior in adolescents might be due to their naturally lower levels of serotonin – which might be too low for SSRIs to be effective.
Aggressive or suicidal behavior may also be the consequence of an adverse drug reaction, said the study.
“There is this paradoxical situation that the use of antidepressants reduces suicidal behavior both in adolescents and adult and, at the same time, there are some idiosyncratic situations where some individuals are more hyper aroused and possibly more aggressive,” Dr. Shaw said.
The only antidepressant currently approved for use in children and adolescents is Prozac. Other SSRIs include Paxil , Zoloft , and Celexa.
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