The UC Davis MIND Institute will host child and adolescent psychiatrist Jonathan Posner of Duke University as part of its popular Distinguished Lecturer Series on Feb. 21. Posner’s talk will be titled “Navigating Maternal Mental Health: Antidepressants, Pregnancy and Neurodevelopment.”

Posner’s talk will focus on the research and medical questions around the use of antidepressant medications, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, during pregnancy.

“Determining whether these medications affect the development of the brain of the fetus has been a complicated challenge,” Posner said. “I will discuss what makes this such a difficult topic to study, how the science is approaching this topic and what the current research indicates.”

Depression during pregnancy is expected to affect one in 10 pregnant people. An estimated 160,000 to 320,000 developing babies are exposed to SSRIs during fetal development each year.

“Leaving depression untreated is clearly not a good option. However, there is mixed evidence about the safety of SSRI use during pregnancy, particularly regarding its effects on the fetal brain. Pregnant people and their doctors are left with a difficult decision of how to treat depression during pregnancy,” Posner explained.

He has researched the topic extensively. His work includes this study, which found brain changes in infants exposed to SSRIs during pregnancy, and this study, that found brain differences in infants exposed to maternal depression. He also co-authored a paper which highlights a new, intergenerational approach to studying mental health conditions.

Determining whether these medications affect the development of the brain of the fetus has been a complicated challenge. I will discuss what makes this such a difficult topic to study, how the science is approaching this topic and what the current research indicates.”—Jonathan Posner, child and adolescent psychiatrist, Duke University

Posner is a professor and the vice chair for research in psychiatry and behavioral sciences in the Child and Family Mental Health and Community Psychiatry Division at Duke. His research focuses on neurodevelopment with an emphasis on using brain scans (MRIs) to study mental health and cognitive development. He is a principal investigator on three longitudinal family-based studies aimed at understanding the many factors that affect the development of neural circuits involved in executive function and emotional regulation.

Prior to his arrival at Duke in 2021, Posner directed a pediatric brain imaging lab at Columbia University, where he also completed his adult psychiatry training. His child and adolescent psychiatry training was at Oregon Health and Sciences University.

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Posner notes that he’s looking forward to the opportunity to connect with the UC Davis and Sacramento communities on this important topic.

“It’s a huge honor to be part of the Distinguished Lecturer Series. I’m excited to share my work and to learn from the audience and the faculty members at the MIND Institute,” he said.

The in-person lecture on Feb. 21 starts at 4:30 p.m. at the UC Davis MIND Institute, 2825 50^th St. in Sacramento. No registration is required, and the event is free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first served. Light refreshments will be served.

See the full Distinguished Lecturer Series Lineup.