Pharmacological management of the psychiatric aspects of traumatic brain injury

Int Rev Psychiatry. 2003 Nov;15(4):359-70. doi: 10.1080/09540260310001606746.

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant public health problem that affects millions of people annually in the USA. Neuropsychiatric symptoms such as cognitive deficits, depression, mania, anxiety, psychosis, apathy, and sleep disturbance are common after TBI. An extensive array of pharmacological options are available to treat a wide range of neuropsychiatric sequelae of TBI, yet there have been few controlled clinical trials to assess the effects of pharmacotherapy in TBI patients. Treatment of the neuropsychiatric disturbances associated with TBI should result in decreased handicap, improved quality of life, and decreased societal impact. There is a dire need for large, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trials that include a broad range of cognitive and behavioral outcome measures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / therapeutic use
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Anxiety / diagnosis
  • Anxiety / etiology
  • Brain Injuries / complications*
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants / therapeutic use
  • Cholinergic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cognition Disorders / drug therapy
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology
  • Cognition Disorders / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Mental Disorders / drug therapy
  • Mental Disorders / etiology*
  • Mental Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants
  • Cholinergic Agents
  • Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors