The Effects of Maternal Antidepressant Usage on a Child’s Psychological Health
Conference Year
January 2021
Abstract
Antidepressant usage during pregnancy is a confusing subject that has a lack of consistent research. There are those that believe treated depression and other mood disorders can have negative effects on a child while others argue that the negative effects that may be caused by antidepressants are not as intense as those caused by untreated depression in a mother. Current research done on antidepressant usage during pregnancy only looked at general health measures in infants and toddlers and did not examine effects on older children who are able to be assessed for cognitive and mood influences of perinatal antidepressants. This study investigated the effects of maternal antidepressant usage on physical, cognitive and psychological development in children in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Julie Dumas
Faculty/Staff Collaborators
Julie Dumas (thesis advisor)
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Arts and Sciences
Program/Major
Neuroscience
Primary Research Category
Health Sciences
The Effects of Maternal Antidepressant Usage on a Child’s Psychological Health
Antidepressant usage during pregnancy is a confusing subject that has a lack of consistent research. There are those that believe treated depression and other mood disorders can have negative effects on a child while others argue that the negative effects that may be caused by antidepressants are not as intense as those caused by untreated depression in a mother. Current research done on antidepressant usage during pregnancy only looked at general health measures in infants and toddlers and did not examine effects on older children who are able to be assessed for cognitive and mood influences of perinatal antidepressants. This study investigated the effects of maternal antidepressant usage on physical, cognitive and psychological development in children in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study.