Purpose: The present study investigates child development following prenatal exposure to maternal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs; N = 28), versus prenatal exposure to medically untreated depression (N = 42), and no exposure (N = 33).
Methods: When the children reached 5-6 years of age, child cognitive abilities were measured using selected tests from Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-r), Neuropsychological Assessment II (NEPSY-II), and the Attention Network Test. Maternal reports of child behavioral problems were collected using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).
Conclusion: Analyses of variance revealed no effects of prenatal exposure to depression or SSRIs upon general cognition or inhibition. Regarding behavioral problems, there was a significant negative association between both SSRI and depression exposure upon externalizing, and between SSRI exposure and internalizing problems. The results are interpreted in light of theories on interactive specialization and reactivity.
Keywords: Attention network test; Child behavior; Inhibition; Prenatal SSRI exposure; The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa).