�People taking prescription antidepressants appear to drive worse than people who aren't taking such drugs, and depressed people on antidepressants have even more problem concentrating and reacting behind the wheel.
These were the conclusions of a study released Sunday at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.
University of North Dakota psychologists Holly Dannewitz. PhD, and Tom Petros, PhD, recruited 60 people to participate in a driving simulation in which participants had to make a series of common driving decisions, such as reacting to brake lights, stop signs or traffic signals while being distracted by speed limit point signs, pylons, animals, other cars, helicopters or bicyclists. The simulation tested guidance, concentration and scanning. Thirty-one of the participants were taking at least one type of antidepressant while 29 restraint group members were pickings no medications with the exception of oral contraceptives in some cases.
The mathematical group taking antidepressants was further divided into those wHO scored higher and lower on a test of depression. The group pickings antidepressants world Health Organization reported a high issue of symptoms of clinical depression performed significantly worse than the control group on several of the driving performance tasks. But participants who were taking antidepressants and scored in the normal reach on a test to measure depression performed no differently than the non-medicated individuals.
"Individuals pickings antidepressants should be aware of the possible cognitive effects as [they] whitethorn affect performance in social, academic and work settings, as well as drive abilities," the researchers wrote. "However, it appears that mood is correlated with cognitive public presentation, more so than medicine use."
This inquiry is crucial in wakeful of the rapid increment in the number of Americans taking antidepressants. Americans' use of antidepressant drugs such as Prozac, Paxil or Zoloft, nearly tripled in a decade, according to the 2004 Health United States report, issued by the National Center for Health Statistics. Among women, one in 10 takes an antidepressant dose, according to the government.
"The Effects of Antidepressants on Cognitive and Driving Performance," Presented by Holly J. Dannewitz, PhD, and Thomas Petros, PhD, University of North Dakota; Poster Session 4110, 10:00 - 11:50 AM, Sunday, Aug. 17, Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Exhibit Halls A and B1.
The American Psychological Association (APA), based in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 148,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychological science and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting human welfare.
Source: Kim I. Mills
American Psychological Association
View dose information on Paxil CR; Prozac Weekly; Zoloft.
More info
