Sertraline in stroke-associated lability of mood

Objective. To assess whether a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor is effective in the treatment of stroke-associated lability of mood. Methods. Twenty-eight non-depressed patients suffering from post-stroke lability of mood took part in an 8-week double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (50 mg sertraline per day). Results. There were statistically significant improvements in a global rating of emotionalism and a specific benefit on tearfulness. The results are discussed in the light of proposed serontonergic mechanisms for emotional lability following stroke. Conclusions. 50 mg of sertraline per day may be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for stroke-associated lability of mood in the absence of depression. This is supportive evidence for the serontonergic hypothesis of lability of mood following stroke. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.