Prayagraj: Certain antidepressants may impact brain development in fetuses, potentially resulting in long-term mental health issues in children. Researchers at the Allahabad University, led by Prof. KP Singh from the Department of Zoology, investigated the side-effects of newer antidepressants, including Vilazodone (Viibryd), Vortioxetine (Trintellix), and Venlafaxine (Venlor), on infant rats. Their findings indicated that these medications can have detrimental effects on newborns. The study was published in the esteemed Springer journal Archives of Toxicology, known for its high impact factor. Prof. Singh emphasized that depression is a significant global mental health issue, affecting 2-20% of Indians, with women being two to three times more likely to suffer than men. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable, with around 10-20% experiencing depression. He stressed the importance of balancing effective treatment with medication safety for both mother and baby’s well-being.To investigate this, Prof Singh’s team, comprising his research scholars Pallavi Singh and Priyanka Agarwal, conducted experiments on pregnant rats, mimicking human pregnancy. They found that when these antidepressants were given during key stages of brain development (equivalent to the second and third trimesters in humans), the baby rats showed several alarming changes. The study found that using certain newer antidepressant drugs during pregnancy could harm the unborn baby’s brain development. These drugs were linked to smaller brain size and weight in the fetus. Parts of the brain responsible for thinking, emotions, learning, memory and movement were not properly developed. This includes areas like the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and striatum.The study found that exposure to certain antidepressants in early life led to reduced levels of crucial brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine, which are essential for mood regulation and mental function. Additionally, the levels of substances that support brain growth were decreased, and the rate of brain cell death was increased. As a result, the baby rats developed issues such as depression, anxiety, memory problems, and emotional regulation difficulties as they matured.Prof. Singh’s research revealed that antidepressants taken during pregnancy may lead to lasting mental health issues in children, persisting into adulthood. The study found that exposure to these medications in the womb caused changes in brain chemistry and function that endured even as the offspring grew up, suggesting a lifelong impact. “The young rats developed depression- and anxiety-like behaviours, along with learning and memory problems. These issues persisted into adulthood, suggesting long-lasting impacts,” said Pallavi Singh, the first author of the research paper, which reported these important findings published in top international journals like Elsevier and Springer.“The key concern of the research was to highlight that the safety of newer antidepressants like Vilazodone, Vortioxetine, and Venlafaxine during pregnancy is still not well understood. More research is needed before these drugs can be considered safe for both the expecting mother and her baby,” said Prof Singh.
