An+Update+on+Antidepressant+Use+and+Suicidality+in+Pediatric+Depression

Adegbite-Adeniyi, Clara. "An Update on Antidepressant Use and Suicidality in Pediatric Depression." Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy 13.15 (2012): 2119-30. Print.

This review furthers discussion regarding suicidality possibly associated with pediatric use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) medications. SSRIs are a class of antidepressants that are thought to operate by allowing neuronal synapses to hold larger amounts of the neurotransmitter serotonin, instead of having neurons reabsorb it. There is a growing argument that the consumption of this class of strong psychoactive chemicals on young, developing minds can increase the severity of the medication’s noted side effects in adults. Amongst these are worsening depression, weight gain, and an increased risk of suicide. Several previous research articles are reviewed, of which most suggest that negative side effects are heightened when they do occur; additionally, child suicide rates while on SSRIs are noted to be slightly higher than those of adults. Expert opinions believe that poor adolescent responses to SSRIs deem more research in the field necessary. While the other articles relating to my discussion highlight the lack of covalence between suicide rates and antidepressant prescriptions, this article outlines the possibility of a connection between antidepressant use and suicide. As of right now, there are few proven direct connections suggesting that taking an antidepressant may actually increase the overall risk for committing suicide. But because suicide rates have stayed close to constant while antidepressant prescription rates have increased, this article begins to sketch what could be a link between the two.