The tendency to experience depression is quite high in those suffering brain injuries. A recent study by the Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Iowa has claimed that antidepressants may help keep off depression in patients with traumatic brain injuries.

“The frequency of depression after traumatic brain injuries is very high,” said lead author of the study Dr. Ricardo Jorge, a professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor.

“Depression may impact up to 50 percent of patients during the first year following a traumatic brain injury. Not only is the prevalence of depression high, it also affects recovery, particularly the reintegration of patients with traumatic brain injuries into the community.”

Prevention better than cure

The findings, published in the JAMA Psychiatry in September 2016, suggested that patients should take antidepressants immediately following traumatic brain injuries to prevent the onset of depression. It is better to take antidepressants before depression gets a chance to develop.

The researchers wanted to ascertain the effects of antidepressants in preventing depression in patients who suffer traumatic brain injury. “We wanted to determine whether antidepressant sertraline could prevent depression in patients with traumatic brain injury,” Ricardo said. He further said that depression may not be prevalent in patients with traumatic patients during the first year, but it tends to remain high in later years. It is worse as depression can turn into a chronic process and treatment resistant.

Antidepressants delay onset of mood disorders

The researchers analyzed 94 non-depressed patients suffering traumatic brain injuries for their study. Some of them were put on sertraline, while others were given placebos within four weeks of injury.

When the researchers followed up the effects of the treatment for 24 weeks or till the time the patient developed a mood disorder, they noticed that 20 percent patients in the placebo group exhibited mood disorders during the observation period. However, in the sertraline group, only 5 percent showed signs of mood disorder. It also became evident that the patients in the sertraline group developed mood disorders much later.

“The results were not surprising to us given that we found a similar effect on stroke patients,” Jorge said. Another important observation that came to light was that patients who were given the trial medication for six months experienced few side effects. As proposed by Jorge, the sertraline doses given were lower than those usually given to patients who already had symptoms of depression. However, the researchers called for further and larger sample studies on this to come up with more concrete findings.

Depression is a debilitating mental condition and the condition deteriorates if it is left untreated. Although it is normal to feel the pangs of depression at times, the more persistent ones need to be addressed at the earliest. And if it is a fallout of any particular incident, like a traumatic brain injury, it becomes even more important to seek immediate help from experts.

Dealing with depression

Seeking proper treatment is the only solution when someone is suffering from depression. Procrastinating only exacerbates symptoms which can affect the treatment process. Never give up on a loved one until there is a complete deliverance from depression.

If you or your loved one is fighting mental problems, including depression, contact Sovereign Mental Health Services, a leading mental health treatment organization with centers spanning across the country. Call at our 24/7 helpline number 866–973–7164 to connect today and avail services of our mental health programs in California or at a rehab near your home. Our mental health rehabilitation centers in California are counted among the best in the country.