Paroxetine can pass through the placenta in pregnant women. For this reason, the authorities warn against the use of these pharmaceutical in early pregnancy, mainly because of the known risk of heart and lung defects. Some epidemiological studies have also pointed out that paroxetine increases the risk of autism.

With their brain organoids containing cells of early brain development, CAAT researchers found out that at therapeutic blood concentrations between 20 and 60 ng/ml, the drug paroxetine led to an 80% decrease in synaptic marker expression, a 60% decrease in neurite outgrowth and a 40-75% decrease in the total oligodendrocyte cell population compared to controls. These results were consistently shown in two different iPSC lines.

The researchers have found an indication that relevant therapeutic concentrations of paroxetine trigger abnormalities in the development of brain cells, which could lead to adverse effects in the development of offspring in the womb.

Original publication:
Xiali Zhong, Georgina Harris, Lena Smirnova, Valentin Zufferey, Rita de Cássia da Silveira e Sá, Fabiele Baldino Russo, Patricia Cristina Baleeiro Beltrao Braga, Megan Chesnut, Marie-Gabrielle Zurich, Helena T. Hogberg Thomas Hartung & David Pamies (2020). Antidepressant Paroxetine Exerts Developmental Neurotoxicity in an iPSC-Derived 3D Human Brain Model. Front. Cell. Neurosci. 14:25. doi: 10,3389/fncel.2020,00025

Source:
https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-02/jhub-ahb021420.php