A preliminary study of fluvoxamine maleate on depressive state and serum melatonin levels in patients after cerebral infarction.

Objective: Antidepressants have been recommended for the treatment of post-stroke depression (PSD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of fluvoxamine maleate, a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI), on depressive state, sleep disturbance, and serum melatonin levels in patients with depressive state after cerebral infarction.

Methods: Nineteen patients who were hospitalized for cerebral infarction and scored 40 points or higher on the Self Depression Scale (SDS) were enrolled in this study.