Antidepressant Use in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults: 10 Years After the Food and Drug Administration Black Box Warning

The knowns and unknowns of SSRI treatment in young people with depression and anxiety: efficacy, predictors, and mechanisms of action

The use of SSRIs for the treatment of depression and anxiety in young people is increasing. However, the effects of SSRIs in adolescence, a time when there are substantial changes in neural, cognitive, and social functioning, are not well understood. Here, we review evidence from clinical trials about the benefits and risks of SSRIs in young people and consider their mechanisms of action, as shown through human experimental work and animal models. We emphasise key outstanding questions about the effects of SSRIs in youth, identified through gaps in the literature and in consultation with young people with lived experience. It is crucial to characterise the mechanisms underpinning risks and benefits of SSRIs in this age group to progress the field, and to narrow the chasm between the widespread use of SSRIs in youth and the science on which this use is based.

Use and sources of psychotropic drugs by Brazilian adults and seniors

The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of psychotropic drug utilization among adults and seniors and determine associated factors, therapeutic classes and sources of acquisition. Data from the Brazilian National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of the Rational Use of Medicines (2013-2014) were analyzed. The prevalence of use of at least one psychotropic drug in the overall sample (adults and seniors) was 8.7%. In the adjusted analyses, positive associations were found between the use of psychotropic drugs and the female sex, poorer self-rated health and chronic diseases (p < 0.05). The most frequently used therapeutic classes were antidepressants (55.3%) by the adults and anxiolytics (59.3%) by the seniors. Approximately 23.0% of psychotropic drugs were obtained exclusively from pharmacies of the public healthcare system and 77.0% were acquired from other sources. The findings reveal a low proportion of attaining psychotropic drugs through the Brazilian public healthcare system as well as the need for public policies that encourage the rational use of prescriptions and treatments to promote a better quality of life and ensure the population's right to health.