Fluoxetine Administered to Juvenile Monkeys: Effects on the Serotonin Transporter and Behavior

Fluoxetine increased the activity of a key component of serotonin neurotransmission in the brains of monkeys at an age corresponding to prepuberty childhood in humans. The increase in serotonin transporter protein (SERT) was apparent 1.5 years after drug discontinuation. The behavior of the monkey was assessed and not found to change significantly. Fluoxetine's effects on SERT have not been similarly tested in humans.