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Biomedical subjects

L Groves

Publications and source records attributed to L Groves.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Efficacy and side effects of methylphenidate for poststroke depression.

BACKGROUND: Depression after stroke impedes the rehabilitation process and causes additional suffering to patient and family. Few studies have systematically examined pharmacologic treatments of poststroke depression. In the present paper, the use of the stimulant methylphenidate is studied in a depressed, elderly stroke population. METHOD: Ten subjects (mean age = 73.2 years) meeting DSM-III-R criteria for major depression were followed-up during a 3-week efficacy and side effect trial involving methylphenidate. Subjects were selected from rehabilitation patients referred for psychiatric consultation. RESULTS: A total of 80% (8 of 10) of the subjects showed either a full or partial response as measured by Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores. The incidence of problematic side effects was low, and no subjects had to be discontinued from the study. CONCLUSION: Results of this methylphenidate trial for poststroke depression in elderly patients suggest that it is a safe and effective treatment for poststroke depression. Future studies are called for in which methylphenidate is compared with placebo controls and antidepressant medication.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1988

Methylphenidate in treating poststroke depression.

The authors retrospectively studied the charts of 25 patients with poststroke depression who were treated with methylphenidate. The 13 patients (52%) who recovered completely from their depression did not differ significantly from the 12 nonresponders on demographic characteristics, location of cerebrovascular accident, and other variables. Mood usually improved within 48 hours; only 3 (12%) patients had side effects. Rapid response to treatment and lack of significant side effects indicate that methylphenidate may be a valuable treatment for poststroke depression.

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PubMed1987

Use of the dexamethasone suppression test with depressed and demented elderly.

Although some researchers have suggested that the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) may be useful in differentiating between major depression and dementia in the elderly, recent reports of abnormal DST results in nondepressed, demented elderly have questioned the validity of the test in this population. This study compared the frequency of abnormal DST results in three groups of elderly inpatients: depressed/not demented; demented/not depressed; and depressed and demented. Two geropsychiatrists independently evaluated 33 patients for symptoms of depression and/or dementia and then assigned each patient to one of the three groups. Subjects in the demented/not depressed group had a significantly larger proportion of abnormal DSTs (P less than .01), and the mean postdexamethasone, 4 PM blood cortisol level of the demented/not depressed group was significantly greater than the means of the other two groups (P less than .005). In this sample, the DST was more likely to identify dementia than depression. Until further investigations clarify the parameters of DST use in the elderly, the diagnosis of depression and dementia should continue to be determined by sensitive interpretation of clinical findings, history, and other diagnostic tests.

Aged↗