Cognitive Evolution of a Patient Who Suffered a Subarachnoid Haemorrhage Eight Years Ago, after Being Treated with Growth Hormone, Melatonin and Neurorehabilitation

Abstract To describe the cognitive evolution of a patient who suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage resulting in a total loss of his cognitive functions. The patient was initially treated with GH (0.8 mg/day), melatonin (50 mg/day) and neurorehabilitation 1 year after his brain damage, during 3 months. Then continued with GH (0.5 mg/day, 6 months/year, during 2 years) and melatonin treatments and neurorehabilitation (3 days/week). 5 years later the patient came back to our Centre due to the absence of recent memory and personal and spatio-temporal orientation and he received an intensive specific neurorehabilitation, including EINA (Auditory Stimulation and Neurosensory Integration), together with GH (0.8 mg/day) and melatonin, for 6 months. At discharge of his first treatment period cognitive functions showed very poor changes but these had been improved when he came back 5 years later. A review carried out 8 years after SHA demonstrated that the patient significantly recovered in all the cognitive functions and he was able to live an independent life. GH plays a key role on cognition, including its actions on recent memory. Melatonin, in turn, helps as a neuroprotective agent. A specific neurostimulation must be performed so that the effects of GH can be expressed. Within neurostimulation, EINA seems to play a very important role for enhancing the effects of medical and rehabilitative treatments on brain plasticity. View Full-Tex