title: Effects of phenytoin on memory, cognition and brain structure in post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot study.
abstract: Phenytoin (Dilantin) is an anticonvulsant used in the treatment of epilepsy. It is believed to act by modulation of glutamatergic transmission. Because the neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been hypothesized to involve alterations in glutamatergic transmission with subsequention neurotoxicity, we assessed the effects of phenytoin on cognition and brain structure in PTSD patients. Phenytoin was administered in an open label fashion for 3 months to nine adult patients with PTSD related to a variety of traumas, including early abuse, combat and car accidents. Subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging for measurement of whole brain and hippocampal volume, and neuropsychological testing of memory and cognition, before and after treatment. Phenytoin treatment resulted in a significant 6% increase in right brain volume (p < 0.05). Increased hippocampal volume was correlated with reductions in symptom severity as measured by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and improvements in executive function as measured by the Trails test. However, treatment associated improvements in memory and cognition did not achieve statistical significance. These findings suggest that phenytoin treatment may be associated with changes in brain structure in patients with PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Radiology and Emory Center for Positron Emission Tomography, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. jdbremn@emory.edu
authors.forename: J Douglas
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bremner
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mletzko
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Welter
authors.forename: Sinead
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: Chanda
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Marijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brummer
authors.forename: Sajid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siddiq
authors.forename: Lai
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Heim
authors.forename: Charles B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Nemeroff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D010672:Phenytoin