Stimulating consciousness and cognition following severe brain injury: a new potential clinical use for lamotrigine

Brain Inj. 2000 Nov;14(11):997-1001. doi: 10.1080/02699050050191931.

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.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anticonvulsants / administration & dosage
  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use
  • Brain Injuries / complications
  • Brain Injuries / drug therapy*
  • Brain Injuries / psychology
  • Brain Injuries / rehabilitation*
  • Cognition / drug effects*
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / administration & dosage
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lamotrigine
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Discharge / statistics & numerical data
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Recovery of Function
  • Seizures / etiology
  • Seizures / prevention & control*
  • Trauma Severity Indices
  • Triazines / administration & dosage
  • Triazines / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Triazines
  • Lamotrigine