The hospital charts of 17 patients with post-stroke depression who were
treated with either dextroamphetamine or methylphenidate during a 5- year
period at the Massachusetts General Hospital were examined. Eighty- two
percent of the patients showed improvement after psychostimulant treatment.
Forty-seven percent of all patients showed marked or moderate improvement
in depressive symptoms. The authors saw no significant differences in
efficacy between the two psychostimulants or across the diagnostic
categories for depression. Patients improved quickly, usually within the
first 2 days of treatment. Adverse reactions necessitating the termination
of psychostimulant treatment occurred in three patients. Anorexia was not
observed as a side effect of either dextroamphetamine or methylphenidate
treatment. Psychostimulants appear to be a safe and rapidly effective
alternative to tricyclic antidepressants in inpatients with post-stroke
depression.
Abstract Teaser