Role of functional pharmacological therapy in post-stroke depression: a narrative review

Objective We conducted a narrative review to investigate whether antidepressant therapy, including the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) or the use of supportive drugs (i.e., citicoline or choline alfoscerate) as a substitute for antidepressant therapy, reduces depression in patients with cerebrovascular diseases. Methods A systematic search of the PubMed and Web of Science databases was performed, including review articles and other studies to identify additional citations. Only 4 of 1566 publications met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were selected. Results Studies showed that post-stroke depression (PSD) could be treated with antidepressant therapy, as well as supportive drugs such as citicoline or choline alfoscerate, which may have antidepressant effects. Conclusions The findings support the efficacy of citicoline as a treatment for depression. Studies aimed to discover the characteristics of these psychostimulants in relation to PSD treatment should be performed.