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Minerva

Minerva

BMJ 2003; 327 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.327.7426.1296 (Published 27 November 2003) Cite this as: BMJ 2003;327:1296

Breast feeding mothers with postnatal depression are often advised not to take antidepressants. A study in Pediatrics ( 2003;112: e425), however, indicates that taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor such as fluoxetine may be safe. All but one exclusively breast fed infant in this study showed no meaningful changes in platelet serotonin transport while their mothers were taking daily fluoxetine. It's premature to suggest treatment guidelines, say the authors, but the picture may be more grey than we thought.

Fifteen years ago it was said that reversible dementia was significantly less prevalent than previously estimated. This prediction has been borne out by an updated meta-analysis in the Archives of Internal Medicine (2003;163: 2219-29). Potentially reversible causes were found in just 9% of cases of cognitive decline studied, and only 0.6% of these actually did reverse. Given such dismal figures, the diagnosis of dementia carries clinical and economic implications.

Another prediction that seems to have fallen short of actuality is the negative effect on outcome of age at the time of a head injury. People under the age of 60 had been predicted to do better than those over 60. Now the evidence shows that for patients with head injuries the risk …

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