A recent study has found that a medication called amantadine can help patients recovering from brain damage. The drug is actually used for the Parkinson’s patients. However, it is believed that if the drug is prescribed to brain damaged patients then they may recovery swiftly.
The study was conducted over 184 patients. The participants of the study were divided in two groups, the first group was provided with amantadine while the other group was provided with a dummy pill. The pill was prescribed for about four months after the traumatic experience of brain injury.
During the study, it was found that the patients in the vegetative state, taking amantadine, were able to respond by saying yes or no. However, the overall health of the patients didn’t improve. For past few years, the medicine is being prescribed to patients with brain injury but no concrete proofs are available to show that the drug is good for the recovery of the patients.
Joseph Giacino from Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital said that the findings of the study are encouraging. However, further research over it would be required to be conducted. It has been informed that after every four week, the medication was discontinued as the drug is prescribed for just 4 and half weeks only. However, after one week, the drug was again continued to be prescribed to the patients.
While commenting upon the findings of the study, he said: “This drug moved the needle in terms of speeding patient recovery, and that’s not been shown before. It really does provide hope for a population that is viewed in many places as hopeless”.
It is estimated that every year, about 1.7 million Americans suffer from brain injury. The drug could prove beneficial for the patients in the coming time.
—Agencies