title: Maintaining community living with post brain injury agitation: a role for sodium valproate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is limited evidence to support pharmacological interventions for post-brain injury agitation and aggression.
  
  
  METHODS
  The case of Patient A, a man with severe agitation and aggression post-brain injury, highlights the successful use of sodium valproate, in the maintenance of community living, which had been threatened by the breakdown of the care package for this lone-dwelling individual.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The case uniquely illustrates the effect of the drug due to a washout period, albeit due to patient non-compliance, allowing comparative observations both on and off and again on medication. In addition, Patient A's aphasia brings to the fore the difficulty with managing such symptoms and the ability of aphasic persons to avail of services and neurobehavioural therapies.
authors.affiliation: Regional Acquired Brain Injury Unit, Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.forename: Sheena B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.forename: F Colin
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001037:Aphasia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D062309:Community Integration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D014635:Valproic Acid