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Transgenerational hypocortisolism and behavioral disruption are induced by the fluoxetine

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61
Due to the high incidence of depression during childbearing, antidepressants such as fluoxetine (FLX) are highly prescribed during pregnancy, yet the risks to offspring are unknown. We report that a 6-day FLX exposure during early zebrafish development induces hypocortisolism for at least three generations. Gene expression analysis indicates that pathways controlling cortisol synthesis are altered in the descendants in the third generation. This FLX-induced low-cortisol phenotype is more prominent in males and is associated with significantly reduced exploratory behaviors for two generations. This is an important demonstration that, in an animal model, even a brief ancestral exposure to a common antidepressant modifies the stress response and critical coping behaviors for several generations.

https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/12/05/1811695115
 

gabriella17

Senior Member
Messages
165
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I was on Prozac for 4 years in my twenties, and now my cortisol level has fallen to below the normal range & I've been referred to an endocrinologist. I wonder if there's a connection. (My mother was not on any ADs)
 
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61
https://neurosciencenews.com/pregnancy-asd-antidepressants-12087/

A new study in mice reveals a possible link between the use of SSRI antidepressants during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism-like symptoms in offspring. Offspring exposed to fluoxetine (Prozac) in utero were more likely to exhibit impaired neurotransmission caused by an overactive serotonin receptor in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain implicated in modulating social behaviors. However, treating the mice with a compound that blocks the receptor alleviated the behavioral problems and improved working memory.