Anticonvulsant effects of SSRIs

Abstract

Although it has previously been thought that serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increase seizure risk, recent evidence suggests that the risk of seizures comes from an underlying deficiency in serotonin rather than the pharmacologic treatment. This article reviews some of the theories on the mechanisms behind seizures, and how antidepressant therapy, particularly SSRIs, could affect the risk.