As the sentencing hearing continues in the Hedingham neighborhood mass-shooting case in Raleigh, the defense has pointed to a commonly prescribed acne medication, minocycline, as a possible factor in confessed shooter Austin Thompson’s behavior.
In court filings and testimony, attorneys have suggested that therapeutic doses of the antibiotic may have affected the teenager’s mental state in the days leading up to the 2022 deadly shooting.
While medical authorities list typical physical side effects such as nausea and dizziness, case reports and clinical guides do state rare psychiatric symptoms, including mood changes and anxiety, have been associated with minocycline use in isolated instances, according to Piction Health, a teledermatology company that provides virtual care for skin conditions…