Reference
Mancini, V., Maeder, J., Bortolin, K., Schneider, M., Schaer, M., & Eliez, S. (2021). Long-term effects of early treatment with SSRIs on cognition and brain development in individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Translational Psychiatry, 11, 336. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01480-3
Review
The present study by Mancini et al. (2021) investigates the long-term effects of early treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on cognition and brain development in individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS). This genetic disorder has the highest risk for schizophrenia, making it an ideal population for studying the development of individuals at risk for psychosis. The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study with 98 participants, aged 10 to 32, diagnosed with 22q11DS, and followed up 2–4 times.
The participants were divided into three groups: those without psychiatric disorders and no psychotropic medications (n = 30), those with psychotic symptoms but not treated with SSRIs (n = 30), and those receiving SSRI treatment (n = 38). The authors observed increased IQ scores and developmental trajectories in participants treated with SSRIs, including those with psychotic symptoms. Additionally, the thickness of frontal regions and hippocampal volume were relatively increased in the treated group. The magnitude of the outcomes was inversely correlated to the age at the onset of the treatment.
This study provides preliminary evidence that early long-term treatment with SSRIs may attenuate the cognitive decline associated with psychosis in 22q11DS and developmental brain abnormalities. The findings hold promise for identifying novel strategies to improve cognitive and brain development in individuals with 22q11DS, as well as other populations at risk for psychosis. However, more research is needed to confirm and expand these findings and to explore the potential benefits and risks of early SSRI treatment in this population.
