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SSRIs During Pregnancy Tied to Uptick in Autism

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http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/06/04/ssris-during-pregnancy-tied-to-uptick-in-autism/70800.html


By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on June 3, 2014

SSRIs During Pregnancy Tied to Uptick in Autism

A new study suggests using common antidepressant medications during pregnancy may contribute to a higher risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children, although this risk is still very small.

Experts say results from past studies of prenatal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and ASD risk have not been consistent. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter whose use by the brain is altered during depression and modified by SSRI use, and has been shown to play an important role in brain development.

An ongoing challenge in this line of research is trying to differentiate the potential risk of the medication on the fetus, as compared to the risk on the mother and the fetus from the effects associated with the condition for which the medication was prescribed (most commonly depression).

Based on past studies, both SSRIs and genetic factors associated with depression are likely associated with greater risk of ASD.

This new study, published online ahead of print last month in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, suggests that under-reporting of maternal depression — if not properly considered in analyses — may influence results of studies trying to address this question.

In the study, researchers from Drexel University analyzed large population-based registers of nearly 750,000 births in Denmark from 1997 through 2006.

They found that about 1.5 percent of children born to women who had taken an SSRI during pregnancy were diagnosed with ASD, compared to about 0.7 percent of children born to an otherwise similar group of women not taking the medication.

“We found a twofold increased risk for ASD associated with in utero exposure to SSRIs compared to the unexposed reference group,” said lead author Nicole Gidaya, Ph.D.

“More importantly, in our analysis we accounted for under-reporting of maternal depression in the register. This suggests that under-reporting of maternal depression may be a limitation in approaches previously used in the other studies.”

Gidaya, who performed this study while a doctoral student in the Drexel University School of Public Health, noted that “if the increased ASD risk we saw here is real, it is important to realize that the number of ASD cases that could be prevented by reducing SSRI exposure in pregnancy still represents only a small fraction of overall cases of ASD.”

The researchers further advised caution in interpreting the results in practice.

Because of the challenges of distinguishing effects of medications from those of the condition indicating their use, more research in larger study populations will be needed to confirm the findings.

In addition, the decision whether or not to use an SSRI in pregnancy is a complex one; pregnant women and their doctors need to consider women’s physical and mental health needs as well as other pregnancy-associated risks. That includes risks associated with untreated depression both during and after pregnancy.

However, the research team believes that the greater value of this finding is to direct further attention on understanding the mechanisms by which in utero SSRI exposure might influence the developing brain.

The authors of the current study point out that there is still a need for more population studies of possible associations between maternal SSRI use and autism, in light of the limitations of the present study and the conflicting results within the field’s previous studies of the question.

They say future studies should use a large population sample where there is good quality data about exposure to medication, mental health diagnoses as well as ASD diagnoses.

“As we complete research in our attempts to understand autism’s causes we continue to realize that there are likely many genetic and non-genetic contributors,” said Craig Newschaffer, Ph.D., director of the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute and the study’s senior author.

“We must begin trying to map these multiple risk factors on to common pathways, so that these pathways can be a focus in our effort to prevent the impairment associated with ASD. Pathways involving the brain’s serotonin system are still one viable candidate.”

Source: Drexel University

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Although the fact that its more often found in males suggests it has at least in part a genetic basis.

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Although the fact that its more often found in males suggests it has at least in part a genetic basis.

Dr. John Cannell, of http://vitaminDcouncil.org believes that low levels of cholecalciferol / vitamin D3 in pregnant, and nursing women is a major factor, which appears to be supported by the fact that there has been a huge increase in the rate of autistic spectrum disorders diagnosed, following public health campaigns about the hazards of sun exposure causing skin cancer*, and advice to cover up, and use sunscreens, which block not only the harmful UVA, but also the healthy (in reasonable amounts) UVB. He theorises that oestrogen & progesterone in females may be exerting a protective effect on those deficient in the vital hormonal substrate vitamin D, which is necessary for hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body.

View http://your-mental-health.weebly.com/w.html for some of his posts, as well as info on the Gluten Free/Casein Free diet, low in oxalates, which reportedly helps autistic children.

* Dr. Mercola states that sensible sun exposure actually decreases the risk of skin cancer.

  1. Increase in Melanoma Skin Cancer NOT Caused by Sun Exposure
    articles.mercola.com/.../deadly-melanoma-not-due-vitamin-d-deficiency.aspx
    20 Nov 2011 ... Melanoma skin cancer rates are increasing but it is NOT because of sun ...

    Vitamin D's protective effect against cancer works in multiple ways, including: .....

    Dr. Mercola cautions that people living and working in caves might ...

  2. Can Sunshine Decrease Your Risk of Melanoma Skin Cancer?
    articles.mercola.com/sites/.../vitamin-d-lowers-melonoma-risks.aspx
    28 Apr 2012 ... By Dr. Mercola ... Sensible Sunlight is Protective Against Melanoma ... Vitamin

    D's protective effect against cancer works in multiple ways, ...

  3. Sun can Actually Protect You Against Skin Cancer
    articles.mercola.com/.../sun-can-protect-you-against-skin-cancer.aspx
    16 Jun 2011 ... Sunlight causes your skin to produce vitamin D -- a fact that, ironically, ... Vitamin

    D's protective effect against cancer works in multiple ways, including: ..... As Dr.

    Mercola mentioned, sunscreen is necessary for some people in ...

  4. Sunshine Helps Protect Your Health | Vitamin D Benefits
    articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/.../vitamin-d-benefits.aspx
    1 Jul 2013 ... Mercola.com .... Melanoma is more likely than other types of skin cancer to

    spread to other ... is protective against melanoma—or rather, the vitamin D your

    body ... that chronic sunlight exposure can have a protective effect.".

  5. Vitamin D from Sun Exposure May Help Protect Against Cancer
    articles.mercola.com/.../research-from-100-countries-proves-vitamin-d-protects-against-cancer.aspx
    28 Jan 2012 ... Mercola.com .... Vitamin D's protective effect against cancer appears to work in

    multiple ways, including: ... It's important to understand, however, that the risk of

    skin cancer from the sun comes only from excessive exposure.

  6. Vitamin D May Help Prevent Your Risk of Cancer By 77 Percent
    articles.mercola.com/sites/.../vitamin-d-may-prevent-breast-cancer.aspx
    12 May 2013 ... Vitamin D has powerful effects when it comes to breast cancer, to the ... If you're

    pregnant and have good D3 levels, you are passing on important health

    protection to .... My wife took Dr. Mercola's Multivitamin/Mineral formula

    throughout .... Not only are they companies selling skin-cancer remedies but they

    ...

  7. Is Vitamin D the Silver Bullet for Cancer - Natural Health Articles
    articles.mercola.com/.../is-vitamin-d-the-silver-bullet-for-cancer.aspx
    11 Mar 2010 ... Follow Dr. Mercola on Twitter Follow Dr. Mercola on Facebook ... Vitamin D's

    protective effect against cancer works in multiple ways, ... The ideal way to

    optimize your vitamin D level is by exposing your skin to appropriate ...

  8. Sun Exposure: Benefits Beyond Vitamin D Production
    articles.mercola.com/.../sun-exposure-vitamin-d-production-benefits.aspx
    29 Sep 2012 ... Aside from vitamin D production, sun exposure offers a lot more benefits, due to

    its UVB rays. ... is actually protective against melanoma (the most lethal form of

    skin cancer). ... that chronic sunlight exposure can have a protective effect." ..... up

    is when UVB is available not 50 degrees that Dr.Mercola states.

  9. Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Depression - Natural Health Articles
    articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/.../vitamin-d-deficiency-depression.aspx
    2 Jan 2014 ... In short, it shows that vitamin D can affect genetic expression ... D has

    tremendous protective effects against a variety of different cancers, including

    pancreatic, lung, ovarian, breast, prostate, and skin cancers. ..... Dr. Mercola is

    right that we should be doing all we can to take on companies like Monsanto.

  10. New Model Of Cancer Development Vitamin D is the Key
    articles.mercola.com/.../new-model-of-cancer-development-vitamin-d-is-the-key.aspx
    11 Jun 2009 ... Mercola.com ... Researchers studying the preventive effects of vitamin D on

    cancer have ... certain hormonal activity, or it could have a protective effect on

    brain ... of cancer including pancreatic, lung, ovarian, prostate, and skin ...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=mercola%3B+skin+cancer%3B+vitamin+D%3B+protective+effect&gbv=2&oq=mercola%3B+skin+cancer%3B+vitamin+D%3B+protective+effect&gs_l=heirloom-hp.12...27.1729.0.4743.10.8.0.0.0.0.1303.1303.7-1.1.0....0...1ac.1.34.heirloom-hp..10.0.0.47ENmXENBhU

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Yes sunphobia could be a potential catalyst for some bad shit. They say autoimmunity sun exposure is bad yet when my autoimmune shit plays up i crave sunlight and it makes it better.

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that recent fairly scetchy study on high sodium diets linked with later onset illnesses was very interesting - as in autoinflammatory illnesses.

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