No evidence for SSRIs and autism

Serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) anti-depressants are often prescribed for people with autism as it is thought that improving the amount of serotonin in the brain might improve some of the psychological problems associated with the condition. Katrina Williams from the University of New South Wales has been leading a team reviewing the evidence for SSRIs for autism on behalf of the Cochrane database. The team reviewed seven studies involving 271 patients and found that SSRIs had no benefits for children and could cause serious harm. One child, who had been taking citalopram, had had a prolonged seizure. There was some slender evidence of improvement in the trials involving adults but not enough for the treatment to be recommended.

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