Stimulating consciousness and cognition following severe brain injury: a new potential clinical use for lamotrigine.
Publication/Presentation Date
11-1-2000
Abstract
No medications clearly enhance consciousness or cognition following severe brain injury. This series (n = 13) suggests that lamotrigine may stimulate improvement of patients with impairment equivalent to level I-III on the Rancho Los Amigos Cognitive Scale. After a serendiptious clinical result, severely brain injured patients who were taking an anticonvulsant had an opportunity to start lamotrigine. This cohort had been transferred to this rehabilitation unit 14-304 (mean 73.9) days and started lamotrigine 20-310 (mean 87.5) days after acute brain injury. Compared to this unit's experience with patients with similar severe brain injuries, more patients (n = 10) were discharged to the conmmunity and fewer to skilled nursing facilities (n = 3) than were expected. This preliminary and provocative case series corresponds to basic science results, and further investigation of lamotrigine is warranted.
Volume
14
Issue
11
First Page
997
Last Page
1001
ISSN
0269-9052
Published In/Presented At
Showalter, P. E., & Kimmel, D. N. (2000). Stimulating consciousness and cognition following severe brain injury: a new potential clinical use for lamotrigine. Brain injury, 14(11), 997–1001. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699050050191931
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
11104139
Department(s)
Department of Medicine
Document Type
Article