|
French researchers have found that a single
dose of the antidepressant drug Prozac appears
to boost the motor skills of patients after a stroke.
However, it is not yet clear if the benefits seen in the small
study -- an increase in test performance 5 hours after taking
the drug -- translate into long-term benefits.
Stroke occurs when a blood flow to an
area of the brain is cut off, either through a clot or breakage
of a blood vessel. Depending on which part of the brain is
damaged, stroke can impair language, reasoning, motor and
other abilities.
According to researchers Prozac has been
found to improve motor skills in animals after a stroke, but
it has not been well studied in humans.
The patients underwent a functional magnetic
resonance imaging (fMRI) test, which measured their brain
activity while they performed motor tasks with the side of
the body that had been impacted by the stroke. The fMRI test
showed increased activity in the area of the brain governing
motor function after taking
Prozac.
Annals
of Neurology 2001;50:718-729
| 