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- Title
Is Electroconvulsive Therapy a Treatment for Depression Following Traumatic Brain Injury?
- Authors
SRIENC, ANJA; NARANG, PUNEET; SARAI, SIMRAT; YEE XIONG; LIPPMANN, STEVEN
- Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be caused by blunt or penetrating injury to the head. The pathophysiological evolution of TBI involves complex biochemical and genetic changes. Common sequelae of TBI include seizures and psychiatric disorders, particularly depression. In considering pharmacologic interventions for treating post-TBI depression, it is important to remember that TBI patients have a higher risk of seizures; therefore, the benefits of prescribing medications that lower the seizure threshold need to be weighed against the risk of seizures. When post-TBI depression is refractory to pharmacotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) could provide an alternative therapeutic strategy. Data remain sparse on using ECT in this seizure-prone population, but three case reports demonstrated good outcomes. Currently, not enough evidence exists to provide clinical recommendations for using ECT for treating post-TBI depression, and more research is needed to generate guidelines on how best to treat depression in TBI patients. However, the preliminary data on using ECT in patients with TBI are promising. If proven safe, ECT could be a powerful tool to treat post-TBI depression.
- Subjects
ANTIDEPRESSANTS; THERAPEUTICS; TREATMENT of post-traumatic stress disorder; CONVULSIONS -- Risk factors; RISK factors of spasms; ALTERNATIVE medicine; BIOCHEMISTRY; BLUNT trauma; BRAIN injuries; MENTAL depression; DRUG prescribing; ELECTROCONVULSIVE therapy; PHENOMENOLOGY; MEDICAL protocols; MENTAL illness; GENETIC mutation; PENETRATING wounds; PHYSICIAN practice patterns; TREATMENT effectiveness; DISEASE complications
- Publication
Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience, 2018, Vol 15, Issue 3/4, p43
- ISSN
2158-8333
- Publication type
Article