No benefit from D-amphetamine when added to physiotherapy after stroke: a randomized, placebo-controlled study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability, affecting motor function and activities of daily living (ADL).
• Pharmacological interventions are being explored to enhance recovery post-stroke.
• D-amphetamine has shown potential in improving motor function in other neurological conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of D-amphetamine in accelerating the recovery of ADL and motor functions in patients following ischemic stroke.
• To determine if D-amphetamine, when combined with physical therapy, offers a significant advantage over placebo in stroke rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted in an inpatient rehabilitation setting.
• Twenty-four severely to moderately affected first-time ischemic supratentorial stroke survivors were enrolled.
• Participants received 10 mg D-amphetamine or placebo every fourth day for 36 days, alongside standard physical therapy.

Main Results:

• Both D-amphetamine and placebo groups showed significant improvement in most outcome measures, except for arm function, up to 90 days post-stroke.
• No statistically significant differences in motor function or ADL recovery were observed between the D-amphetamine and placebo groups at any assessment point.
• Patient characteristics and baseline outcome measures were comparable between the two study groups.

Conclusions:

• D-amphetamine did not demonstrate a significant benefit in enhancing stroke recovery of motor function or ADL compared to placebo in this study.
• Limitations included a small sample size and potential confounding factors related to the timing and nature of physical therapy.
• Further investigation with refined methodologies is warranted to definitively assess the role of D-amphetamine in stroke rehabilitation.