Obesity Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Obesity, including details on health, diet, prevention, exercise. | ||||||||
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Differential effects of topiramate in patients with traumatic brain injury and obesity--a case series.Dolberg OT, Barkai G, Gross Y, Schreiber S Department of Psychiatry, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. orna@lundbeck.com RATIONALE: Topiramate is an antiepileptic drug known to have effects on weight. In order to use this as a tool to treat eating disorders, it is useful to examine whether these effects can be predicted in certain patients. OBJECTIVES: To report the effects of topiramate, initiated for the treatment of epilepsy, on top of ongoing treatment, on eating patterns and weight of 17 patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) with post-traumatic epilepsy and weight gain of various etiologies. METHODS: Patients were followed up according to their usual treatment plan. Topiramate was added on top of current and stable treatment. Dose was titrated based on the patients' neurological status. Patients were asked to report side effects. No other changes were made. RESULTS: Of the 17 patients included, one patient dropped out. Six patients with binge eating disorder (BED) demonstrated the most pronounced effects, with marked attenuation of binges and normalizing body mass index. Less noticeable were the effects in patients with mood disorders. Topiramate was ineffective in patients whose overweight was a side effect of their medication. Side effects were rated as mild and included somnolence, paresthesias, mild cognitive disturbances and some gastrointestinal disturbances. CONCLUSIONS: In this report of the actual effects of topiramate in a clinical setting on weight and eating habits of 17 patients with TBI and obesity of various etiologies, topiramate seemed to be a safe intervention. Topiramate appeared to be differentially effective, with particular effects on primary pathological eating patterns. Published 11 May 2005 in Psychopharmacology (Berl), 179(4): 838-45.
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