U. of Virginia research finds antidepressants can lead to neurological changes in babies

New research from the University of Virginia School (UVA) of Medicine has found that the use of common antidepressants, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during pregnancy, can interact with inflammation, increasing the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders.

“We identified inflammatory signatures in the placenta that correlated with neurologic changes in the adult offspring of mothers that encountered an immune challenge during pregnancy,” said Kristine Zengeler, one of the study’s researchers, in a UVAHealth news release. 

“These signatures could be used to help identify biomarkers and druggable targets to help mitigate neurodevelopmental consequences of prenatal environmental stressors, like an immune response,” she added.

The news release notes researchers found that inflammation alone and in combination with SSRIs altered serotonin levels in the placenta in opposite directions, which could have significant consequences for the developing brain of the baby. 

The study’s lead researcher, John Lukens, a Ph.D, and his team discovered that SSRIs can interact with the mother’s immune system, producing a strong inflammatory reaction at the “maternal-fetal interface,” which is the physical connection between mother and offspring during pregnancy. This interaction caused offspring to later exhibit sex-based behavioral changes similar to those seen in people with autism.

Researchers found that mothers, who encountered an immune challenge during pregnancy and were also taking SSRIs, showed a totally different signature in the placenta than mothers who were not on SSRIs.

“This highlights the importance of considering the entire prenatal environment, as drugs designed to dampen inflammation may lead to unanticipated consequences on the baby if they are combined with other modulators, such as SSRIs,” Zengeler said.

While SSRIs are commonly used during pregnancy and are widely considered a safe option for managing depression, there has been some evidence that they can increase the risk of premature delivery, neurological issues and health problems in children. 

The researchers advised pregnant women to consult their doctors before stopping the use of SSRIs, as untreated maternal stress, depression and anxiety can also negatively impact offspring neurodevelopment.

Researchers seek additional studies, eventually in human subjects, to gain a better understanding of the interactions of inflammation and SSRIs.

Zengeler and Lukens, along with researchers Daniel A. Shapiro, Katherine Bruch, Catherine Lammert and Hannah Ennerfelt, published their findings in the scientific journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity.

The research was supported by other organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative and The Owens Family Foundation.