Maintaining community living with post brain injury agitation: a role for sodium valproate

There is limited evidence to support pharmacological interventions for post-brain injury agitation and aggression.

The case of Patient A, a man with severe agitation and aggression post-brain injury, highlights the successful use of sodium valproate, in the maintenance of community living, which had been threatened by the breakdown of the care package for this lone-dwelling individual.

The case uniquely illustrates the effect of the drug due to a washout period, albeit due to patient non-compliance, allowing comparative observations both on and off and again on medication. In addition, Patient A's aphasia brings to the fore the difficulty with managing such symptoms and the ability of aphasic persons to avail of services and neurobehavioural therapies.