Serotonin-targeting antidepressants are associated with an increased risk of subclinical cerebral microbleeds, according to a study that included 2,559 participants of the Rotterdam Study. Repeated brain MRI was used to assess the incidence of microbleeds over 8 years, and showed that the incidence was higher among individuals who used antidepressants during the study period. Both selective and nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were linked with an increased incidence of microbleeds. Drugs with intermediate affinity for serotonin carried the highest risk.
References
Akoudad, S. et al. Antidepressant use is associated with an increased risk of developing microbleeds. Stroke http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.115.011574
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Fyfe, I. Antidepressants increase risk of microbleeds. Nat Rev Neurol 12, 2 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2015.244
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2015.244