In recent years there has been an increase in the number of drugs approved for use in children and adolescents to treat emerging mental illness. These drugs were approved on the basis of short-term efficacy studies, and little is known about their long-term effects. However, animal studies indicate that drug treatment during postnatal periods equivalent to childhood or adolescence can lead to long-term alterations in brain function and behaviour. Here, 2 types of drugs used in children are discussed: psychostimulants and second-generation antipsychotics. Although diagnosis of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and appropriate prescription and use of psychostimulants has been established over many years, relatively little is known about their long-term effects. Results from animal studies suggest possible long-term effects on addiction and reward, although this does not appear to be the case in the short-term for patients with ADHD. With respect to antipsychotics, the challenges of diagnosing schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in children make it difficult to assess the effectiveness of antipsychotics to treat them. Weight gain and associated pathology have been reported with the use of these drugs in children. While early treatment of emerging psychopathology can be beneficial, human and animal studies of the long-term effects of these treatments on the developing brain are needed to better define what is good or bad.
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