A stimulant and a cholinesterase inhibitor helped these difficult-to-treat symptoms in a preliminary study.
Not long ago, most professionals in the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI) believed that one could not have both TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The co-occurrence and interaction of these two disorders has since been shown to be common, especially in military personnel, and each disorder can cause persistent cognitive and emotional symptoms. Researchers conducted a 12-week, randomized, placebo-controlled study of a stimulant (twice-daily methylphenidate [MPH]; starting dose, 5 mg; increased to 20 mg by 3 weeks) or a cholinesterase inhibitor (twice-daily galantamine [GAL]; starting dose, 4 mg, increased to 12 mg) in patients with TBI, PTSD, or both.
Planned enrollment was 160 participants, but only 75 subjects were screened …
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)