The present invention relates to the use of levomilnacipran as a drug in functional recovery after a cerebrovascular accident or head trauma. The pharmaceutical compositions containing levomilnacipran are strictly those in which the levomilnacipran/dextromilnacipran mixture does not contain more than 5 wt % of dextromilnacipran, so as to not risk compromising functional recovery due to the alpha-blocking property of the dextromilnacipran.