Naltrexone: effects on motor function, speech, and activities of daily living in a patient with traumatic brain injury

Evidence from many studies has suggested that endogenous opioid peptides participate in a number of pathophysiological responses to brain injury. This provides the rationale for the use of opioid antagonists for the enhancement of neural recovery after brain injury. A case is presented of an 18-year...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain injury 2000-10, Vol.14 (10), p.933-942
Main Author: Ronald Calvanio, David T. Burke, Hyun Jung Kim, Jie Cheng, Paige Lepak, Julie Leonard, Melissa A. Dwyer, Virkram Gavande
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activities of Daily Living
Adolescent
Biological and medical sciences
Brain Injuries - complications
Brain Injuries - drug therapy
Brain Injuries - pathology
Humans
Injuries of the nervous system and the skull. Diseases due to physical agents
Male
Medical sciences
Motor Skills - drug effects
Naltrexone - pharmacology
Narcotic Antagonists - pharmacology
Neuropharmacology
Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmission. Receptors
Peptidergic system (neuropeptide, opioid peptide, opiates...). Adenosinergic and purinergic systems
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Prognosis
Speech - drug effects
Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents
Treatment Outcome
Unconsciousness - etiology
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Summary:Evidence from many studies has suggested that endogenous opioid peptides participate in a number of pathophysiological responses to brain injury. This provides the rationale for the use of opioid antagonists for the enhancement of neural recovery after brain injury. A case is presented of an 18-year-old male who had loss of consciousness for 1 month after a severe brain injury. Three months of intensive rehabilitative therapies did not change his functional status. A trial of naltrexone was given while his performance in mobility, speech and overall Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores were monitored. Results indicate an accelerated improvement in functional status and statistically improved FIM score.
ISSN:0269-9052
1362-301X
DOI:10.1080/026990500445745