Antiviral medication – a role in the young population!

Tamiflu (brand-name) – a common antiviral medication is used against influenza virus (usually against H1N1). It has already been studied that this antiviral medication has adverse effect in the central nervous system, especially in the brain. There may be psychiatric symptom such as depression is common. Both adult and young people may have adverse effects from this drug administration. Recently one study in Japan using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging method showed that young people may have more adverse effects (i.e., depression like symptom) than the older people. So, dose-maintenance and specific observation are obligatory to prevent from any depression like symptom.