Poststroke depression: Prevalence, course, and associated factors

Abstract

Despite the considerable amount of research that has been undertaken on poststroke depression, a review of the literature demonstrates that there are many inconclusive findings in the area. In particular, the causes and course of the disorder remain to be firmly established. While studies of prevalence differ with respect to the nature and timing of their assessment procedures, most conclude that poststroke depression has a negative impact on the rehabilitation of the stroke patient. Very little research is available on te relationship between poststroke depression and care-giver burden. However, recent studies have adopted more rigorous methodological procedures, allowing some insights into the complex mixture of factors which determine the occurrence of poststroke depression.

Cerebrovascular Disease and Evolution of Depressive Symptoms in the Cardiovascular Health Study

“…Here, the areas of interest are the basal ganglia (small lesions) and cerebral white matter (large lesions). There is wellestablished literature on cortical stroke and depression, 34,35 with particular focus on laterality of findings. 36 In addition, there have been reports of depressive symptoms occurring in association with basal ganglia stroke, 37 especially in the caudate.…”

Anxiety and depression 3 years following stroke: Demographic, clinical, and psychological predictors

“…Whilst distress can be affected by physical disability [19], poststroke emotional distress is more than a reaction to 0022 neurological impairment or functional limitations [2,6,7,[20][21][22]. There is growing evidence that cognitive variables contribute significantly to disease outcomes, although the exact process by which cognitions predict long-term emotional outcomes in stroke patients remains unclear.…”

“…Psychosocial factors in physical and emotional outcomes following stroke have received growing acknowledgement [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8], although limited attention has been paid to the predictive role of individuals' illness cognitions and coping responses. We previously reported that significant variance in depression 6 months following hospital discharge was explained by patients' recovery confidence and satisfaction with advice, even when controlling for baseline levels of depression [2], and others have reported a predictive role for perceived social support [3,4].…”

Depressed Mood after Intracerebral Hemorrhage: The FAST Trial

“…The extent to which patients benefit from rehabilitation and other means for coping with their disability is likely affected by the presence of depression [2]. Poststroke depression/depressed mood is potentially preventable and responsive to treatment, and hence important to identify before discharging stroke patients.…”