Lexapro for the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Depression & Other Psychiatric Conditions

Escitalopram (Lexapro) for the Treatment of TBI Depression and Other Comorbid Psychiatric Conditions

This research is being done to see if a drug called escitalopram (Lexapro) is helpful to people who are suffering from depression after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Despite it's high prevalence, little is known about the pharmacological treatment of depression following Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). This is because of a lack of randomized controlled studies in the treatment of post-TBI depression. This study is designed to examine the safety and effectiveness of escitalopram in the treatment of post-TBI depression. It will also investigate metabolic changes and neural pathways associated with post-TBI depression and metabolic alterations after treatment through neuroimaging.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Closed head injury
• Fulfill Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Diploma in Social Medicine (DSM) IV criteria "Major Depressive Disorder"
• 18 years of age or older
• Able to provide informed consent
• Stable medical history

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of Stroke, Encephalitis, Seizures, or any other pre-TBI neurological diseases
• History of mental retardation
• Alcohol or Substance dependence in the last 1 year
• Inability to undergo MRI scan
• Pregnancy
• Current use of any psychotropic medications including any antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, or sedative hypnotics
• Poor response to escitalopram in the past
• Acutely suicidal or requiring inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, as determined by the study psychiatrist
• Good medication response to another antidepressant in the past