Study Ties Antidepressants Such As Lexapro to Autism

Jackson, MSA new study suggests that the list of reported Lexapro birth defects could include an increased risk of autism. The study suggests a link between SSRIs and autism, and although the study did not include Lexapro, it is possible that the findings could be extended to include a link between Lexapro and autism.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco, and found that rats exposed to antidepressants just before and after birth showed signs of autism. According to Fox News (10/24/11), the rats were exposed to citalopram (the generic version of Celexa), an antidepressant in the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class, a class of antidepressant that includes Lexapro. Researchers reportedly found that when the rats were exposed to the SSRI, they showed signs of autism including excessive fear in the face of new situations and failure to play normally.

Although the research was done on rats, it supports previous research that also suggested a link between antidepressant use during pregnancy and autism in children.

"Our findings underscore the importance of balanced serotonin levels—not too high or too low—for proper brain maturation," study researcher Rick Lin of the University of Mississippi Medical Center said in a statement (as quoted by Fox News).

Lin went on to note (as quoted by ScienceDaily: 10/24/11) that it is premature to conclude that pregnant women should stop taking SSRIs because there may be harm to the baby due to untreated depression. He recommended that further research must be conducted into the link between SSRIs during pregnancy and autism.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are thought to work by increasing the amounts of serotonin in the patient's brain. How they affect infants who are exposed to the antidepressants prior to birth, however, is not fully understood.

Researchers did find that more male rat pups displayed the autistic-like behavior, corresponding to autism rates in humans, which affects more boys than girls. They also found that exposure to the SSRI was linked to stunted brain development affecting the cortex and hippocampus, areas of the brain responsible for memory and navigation.

Results of the study were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.