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Pharmacotherapy for motor deficits caused by brain injury has been a subject of investigation for many years. Some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) improved motor recovery after stroke in several small clinical trials but have not been extensively examined in this context. Now, researchers have conducted a multicenter study to examine the effect of fluoxetine on motor outcome in patients with moderate-to-severe motor deficits after stroke.
Between 5 and 10 days after an ischemic stroke, 113 patients were randomized to receive 20 mg of fluoxetine or placebo daily for 90 days. In addition, all participants had the standard physiotherapy provided at their sites. The groups were well matched for baseline demographic characteristic…