Safety and efficacy of psychopharmacological agents used to treat the psychiatric sequelae of common neurological disorders.
BACKGROUND
Psychiatric disorders and symptoms, ranging from mood dysregulation to delirium, are commonly observed in many neurological disorders. These manifestations complicate the illness and worsen prognosis. Pharmacological treatment options may be limited by the primary neurological illness and side effects.


OBJECTIVE
This paper aims to review the safety and efficacy of pharmacological agents used to treat psychiatric manifestations of several common neurological conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), post-stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and epilepsy.


METHODS
Systematic review of the Medline database for articles published between 2000 and 2007 was done to retrieve relevant articles.


RESULTS
The paucity of controlled data on the pharmacological treatments of psychiatric manifestations of neurological conditions makes recommendations difficult.


CONCLUSIONS
When secondary depression, mania, anxiety, and delirium remain after treatment of the underlying condition, clinical experience and the limited research indicates that judicious pharmacological interventions may effectively treat mood dysregulation, delirium and agitation.
Bernardo
Carmina G
CG
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Center for Bipolar Intervention in the Hispanic Community, Division of Mood and Anxiety Disorders, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. bernardoc@uthscsa.edu
Singh
Vivek
V
Thompson
Peter M
PM
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs