J Korean Neurol Assoc.  1995 Dec;13(4):833-842.

Depression Following Unilateral Supratentorial Stroke

• Lee AY
• Chung CS
• Kim JM

Abstract

This study examined the factors responsible for depressive mood following unilateral supratentorial stroke. Sixty-two patients were selected f rom the Outpatient Stroke Clinic in Chungnam National University Hospital to evaluate for depression resulting f rom stroke. We measured their mood state with Beck Depression Inventory. The functional state with physical deficits was determined through neurological examination and the Barthel Index. The cognition of patients was screened with the Short Mental Test. Demographic variables, radiologic characteristics, the degree of cognitive impairment, and the severity of physical disability were considered with respect to the BDI score. Using the univariate analysis, the following variables were selected for a multivariate regression anal ;' ysis for prediction of the BDI score: 1) age at stroke onset, 2) interval from the stroke onset to the evaluation, 3) years of education, 4) the cognitive impairment assessed with the Short Mental Test score, 5) the physical disability determined by the Barthel Index, 6) lesion volume of stroke, 7) relative lesion proximity from the frontal poles, 8) bicaudate index, and 9) the degree of white matter changes rated with the Fazekas scale. We found that the lesion proximity to frontal pole and the severity of physical disability are the most determinant factors responsible for the degree of depressive mood status after stroke. The depressive mood was prominent with the 6 months from stroke, especially for the left-sided stroke and remit over time. These findings suggest that the post-stroke depression is not a specific phenomenon but a reactive to their linguistic and physical deficits.

MeSH Terms

Chungcheongnam-do
Cognition
Depression*
Education
Humans
Intelligence Tests
Linguistics
Neurologic Examination
Outpatients
Stroke*