Studies of Antidepressant-Induced Aggression in Adults

Healy et al. (2006) evaluated data produced by GlaxoSmithKline (2006b) in response to a recent review by British regulators. They also examined 

In these trials, hostile events are found to excess in both adults and children on paroxetine compared with placebo, and are found across indications, and both on therapy and during withdrawal. The rates were highest in children with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), where the odds ratio of a hostile event was 17 times greater (95% confidence interval [Cl], 2.22-130.0). 

Healy et al. (2006) posited a variety of possible mechanisms for SSRI-induced violence, including akathisia, emotional blunting (a lobotomy-like apathy syndrome), and manic or psychotic reactions. 

Fisher et al. (1993) conducted a phone survey of pharmacy patients taking various antidepressants and compared fluoxetine to trazodone. They concluded that fluoxetine caused a higher incidence of psychologic/ psychiatric adverse clinical events, including delusions and hallucinations, aggression, and suicidal ideation (p. 235, emphasis added). In a followup study, Fisher et al. (1995) found that many of the same side effects reported in regard to Prozac were also reported for Zoloft. Both drugs 

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