THURSDAY, Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers report that infant rats given commonly prescribed drugs to treat mood disorders, pain and epilepsy develop behavioral problems in adulthood.
Earlier studies showed that brain cells in young rats die after they're given the drugs. The cells are in parts of the brain that control mood, cognition and movement.
The new research, which was scheduled to be presented this week at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Chicago, aimed to determine if the drugs would also affect behavior.
The study authors found that the rats given the drugs as infants developed signs of autism and schizophrenia. Some drugs caused the problems even though they're not known to kill brain cells.
"That is of particular concern because some of the drugs may predispose to psychiatric disorders later in life," study author Patrick Forcelli, a graduate student at Georgetown University Medical Center, said in a school news release. "At the same time, our studies identify specific drugs that cause little or no long-term behavioral impairment."
Forcelli said future research will help doctors choose better drugs to treat disorders in babies and pregnant women.
More information
Learn more about children and psychiatric drugs from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
SOURCE: Georgetown University Medical Center, news release, Oct. 20, 2009
Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
Today's Top News Stories |
• | Ginkgo Won't Prevent Heart Attack, Stroke in Elderly - Nov 24, 2009, 16:00
But the herbal supplement may help ward off peripheral artery disease, researchers say. |
• | Dangerous Toys Still on Store Shelves, Report Finds - Nov 24, 2009, 16:00
Focus on toys that pose choking hazard, are too loud, or contain dangerous chemicals. |
• | Chronic Pain Trips Up Seniors - Nov 24, 2009, 16:00
Discomfort contributes to the falls that plague older adults, study finds. |
• | Clinical Trials Update: Nov. 24, 2009 - Nov 24, 2009, 11:14
- Constipation
- Healthy Volunteers (Ages 18-65)
- Type 2 Diabetes
|
• | Angioplasty Outcomes May Vary Little Between Hospitals - Nov 24, 2009, 16:00
In-hospital death rates didn't differ greatly between high- and low-volume centers, study found. |
