Shinsuke Sato, MD, Kyota Bunno, MD
Jpn J Compr Rehabil Sci 1: 7-10, 2010
Since aphasic patients have diffi culty communicating,
they often have emotional lability, which can make
clinical management diffi cult and may even lead to the
patients’ refusal to participate in rehabilitation
programs.
Yi-Gan San (YGS) has recently been shown to
improve behavioral and psychological symptoms of
dementia (BPSD) associated with Alzheimer’s
dementia. Recently, 3 patients with motor aphasia
were treated with YGS to stabilize psychiatric
symptoms, and this treatment helped the patients, who
initially refused to undergo rehabilitation, adapt to
rehabilitation therapy. Within 1 to 2 weeks of starting
the treatment with YGS, there was a marked
improvement in the patients’ emotional lability. Since
the patients showed improvement within a short
period, we think that the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor
partial agonist action of YGS is the main factor
responsible for these pharmacologic effects.
In patients with impaired communication ability,
such as those with motor aphasia, YGS may be
effective and worthwhile as a supplemental therapy
for secondary psychiatric symptoms such as emotional
lability.
Key words: Yi-Gan San, aphasia, rehabilitation, Chinese herbal remedy, stroke