Effects of Maternal Depression and Antidepressant Therapy on the Neurobehavioural Development of Rat Offspring

摘要

Depression during pregnancy and in the post-partum period is a growing health concern in modern society. The use of psychopharmacological agents during gestation and lactation raises several questions, which are mainly related to safety during these periods. The main concern Is that antidepressants cross the blood-brain, placental barrier and are excreted in the milk and may directly affect fetal and neonatal development of the offspring. Antidepressant treatment during pregnancy could interfere withsensitive developmental processes in the brain and have neurobehavioural consequences hi later life. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of venlafaxine on selected neurobehavioural variables in mothers and their offspring.