title: Psychostimulant use in the rehabilitation of individuals with traumatic brain injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychostimulants are used commonly in the rehabilitation of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI), despite the dearth of well-controlled studies of their effects. The available literature suggests that these drugs predominantly affect the speed of cognitive processing and certain observational ratings of mood and behavior. Effects on sustained attention, distractibility, and memory are less clear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article reviews the controlled research literature on the use of these drugs in TBI and presents preliminary data from the authors' laboratory that extends these findings. Some of the common research pitfalls that have limited progress in research on these drugs are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Korman Building, Suite 211, 1200 West Tabor Road, Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA. jwhyte@einstein.edu
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whyte
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaccaro
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grieb-Neff
authors.forename: Tessa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hart
mesh_terms: D000661:Amphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008774:Methylphenidate; D000661:Amphetamine; D003913:Dextroamphetamine