Death and dependence: current controversies over the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

被引:49
作者
Nutt, DJ [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Bristol, Psychopharmacol Unit, Sch Med Sci, Bristol, Avon, England
关键词
antidepressants; benzodiazepines; dependence; depression; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; suicide; withdrawal;
D O I
10.1177/0269881103174019
中图分类号
R74 [神经病学与精神病学];
学科分类号
摘要
Recent years have seen a considerable media interest in the adverse effects of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This has led to claims that these antidepressants may lead to suicide and homicide and that they cause dependence or even addiction. Such claims have caused great concerns to many patients and have confused doctors in both primary care and psychiatric practice. In this article I review the basis of these claims and show that many seem to emerge from the misinterpretation of evidence and the use of imprecise definitions. Although the SSRIs are not free of problems they compare very favourably with other antidepressants and other classes of psychotropic drugs. There is no evidence they are addictive in the formal sense of leading to a drug dependence syndrome. Some suggestions on the way these issues can be more precisely defined and studied in future are given.
引用
收藏
页码:355 / 364
页数:10
相关论文
共 87 条
  • [22] Deliberate self-harm and antidepressant drugs - Investigation of a possible link
    Donovan, S
    Clayton, A
    Beeharry, M
    Jones, S
    Kirk, C
    Waters, K
    Gardner, D
    Faulding, J
    Madeley, R
    [J]. BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, 2000, 177 : 551 - 556
  • [23] EDWARDS G, 1981, B WORLD HEALTH ORGAN, V59, P225
  • [24] Acute tryptophan depletion in healthy young women with a family history of major affective disorder
    Ellenbogen, MA
    Young, SN
    Dean, P
    Palmour, RM
    Benkelfat, C
    [J]. PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE, 1999, 29 (01) : 35 - 46
  • [25] Prolonged use of oral contraception before a planned pregnancy is associated with a decreased risk of delayed conception
    Farrow, A
    Hull, MGR
    Northstone, K
    Taylor, H
    Ford, WCL
    Golding, J
    [J]. HUMAN REPRODUCTION, 2002, 17 (10) : 2754 - 2761
  • [26] CONCEPTUALIZATION AND RATIONALE FOR CONSENSUS DEFINITIONS OF TERMS IN MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER - REMISSION, RECOVERY, RELAPSE, AND RECURRENCE
    FRANK, E
    PRIEN, RF
    JARRETT, RB
    KELLER, MB
    KUPFER, DJ
    LAVORI, PW
    RUSH, AJ
    WEISSMAN, MM
    [J]. ARCHIVES OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY, 1991, 48 (09) : 851 - 855
  • [27] GAIND RN, 1978, CURRENT THEMES PSYCH, P371
  • [28] TRICYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANT WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME
    GARNER, EM
    KELLY, MW
    THOMPSON, DF
    [J]. ANNALS OF PHARMACOTHERAPY, 1993, 27 (09) : 1068 - 1072
  • [29] Relapse prevention with antidepressant drug treatment in depressive disorders: a systematic review
    Geddes, JR
    Carney, SM
    Davies, C
    Furukawa, TA
    Kupfer, DJ
    Frank, E
    Goodwin, GM
    [J]. LANCET, 2003, 361 (9358) : 653 - 661
  • [30] Orally delivered alprazolam, diazepam, and triazolam as reinforcers in rhesus monkeys
    Gomez, TH
    Roache, JD
    Meisch, RA
    [J]. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, 2002, 161 (01) : 86 - 94