COULD HEAD RADIATION TREATMENT RESULT IN DEPRESSION? Ask The Doctor Dr. Leland Heller Biological Unhappiness
COULD HEAD RADIATION TREATMENT RESULT IN DEPRESSION?
Question: I had a stroke in 2001 at 40 years old which damaged my balance and short term memory. I’m now 43, retired on social security and can’t shake my depression since. Prozac after 1 year didn’t make a difference. I was told the stroke was caused by radiation therapy damage after a brain tumor removal from the cerebellum in 1981. Do you think the radiation therapy from 20 years+ ago may have also done physical damage to cause may unshakable depression? Do you have suggestions on how I can feel better? I exercise at a gym religiosly 3+ days a week which helps bring my mood up to medium then falls until I exercise again? Thanks Dr. Heller’s Answer: Assuming you didn’t have mental health problems before the stroke AND that you have no active coronary artery disease, there’s a moderate chance psychostimulants like Ritalin and Adderall can make a difference. While the scientific literature is sketchy, I’ve seen it work on many stroke patients. Here are some references that don’t prove the point but show it might help: Methylphenidate in early poststroke recovery: a double blind, placebo controlled study. Arch Phys Med Rehab 1998 Sep “Methylphenidate appears to be a safe and effective intervention in early poststroke rehabilitation that may expedite recovery.” Effects of methylphenidate on attentional function after traumatic brain injury. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 1997 Nov-Dec “Methylphenidate produced a significant improvement in the speed of mental processing. Most aspects of sustained attention, and measures of motor speed were unaffected. Methylphenidate may be a useful treatment of traumatic brain injury, but is primarily useful for symptoms that can be attributed to slowed mental processing.”
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