Correlates of Depression and Anxiety in Acute Stroke Patients

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study is aimed at the pathoanatomic correlates of depression and anxiety in acute stroke patients including subcortical lesion(periventricular hyperintensity, deep white matter hyperintensity, subcortical gray matter hyperintensity). METHODS: Sixty nine patients with acute stoke were recruited. Their brain lesions were measured using Brain MRI. Depressive or anxiety symptoms were rated by Beck depression inventory(BDI) or Beck anxiety inventory, respectively. RESULTS: There were significant correlation between depression and periventricular hyperintensity and deep white matter hyperintensity in acute stroke patients. There are no significant pathoanatomic correla- tions between anxiety and brain lesions on MRI. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the white matter lesion may increase the risk of depression after stroke. Prevention of asymptomatic cerebrovascular lesion could decrease the risk of depression in acute stroke patients as well as the risk of stroke.