[Post-stroke depression: recognition and treatment interventions]

Psychiatriki. 2011 Jul-Sep;22(3):240-8.
[Article in Modern Greek (1453-)]

Abstract

Depression is the most common neuropsychiatric complication of a stroke (Post Stroke DepressionPSD) and has been shown to impede the recovery and rehabilitation of these patients. Prevalence rates of PSD vary between 6% and 79%. Direct comparison between studies is limited due to their different methodology. Etiology of PSD is determined by biological and psychosocial factors. Symptoms of PSD appear in three areas: affective, somatic and cognitive. Differential diagnosis includes post-stroke fatigue and pseudo-depressive manifestations of ischemic infarctions (apathy, aprosody, athymhormia, pseudobulbar palsy). Mortality in post-stroke patients is higher than in non-depressed stroke patients and suicide ideation is observed in 6.6-11.3% of stroke patients. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are considered as the first choice treatment of PSD. Other therapeutic approaches include cognitive and functional rehabilitation. PSD is a potentially treatable condition, yet under-diagnosed, and has a negative effect on functional recovery and survival of stroke patients.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depressive Disorder / drug therapy
  • Depressive Disorder / etiology*
  • Depressive Disorder / mortality
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Prognosis
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Stroke / complications*
  • Stroke / mortality
  • Stroke / psychology*
  • Suicidal Ideation

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents
  • Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors