Interferon-treated patients should be monitored for mental status changes. There are no controlled studies on pharmacological management of interferon-induced neuropsychiatric side effects. The use of interferons in patients with stable psychiatric disorders is not contraindicated. However, such patients should be closely monitored during the course of treatment with interferons.
While interferon therapy may trigger or induce mood-related symptoms, preexisting or stable concurrent mood disorders in remission do not necessarily constitute a contraindication to treatment with interferons. Mood disorders associated with interferon treatment can present clinical challenges. However, they may promote our understanding of mood disorders in the context of the current biologic theories of depression and mania.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.