The effects of cranial electrotherapy stimulation therapy combined with psychological intervention in treating post-stroke depression / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effects of cranial electrotherapy stimulation therapy combined with psychological intervention for treating depression after cerebral infarction.Methods Eighty persons diagnosed with depression after cerebral infarction were divided randomly into a treatment group and a control group.Both groups were given routine rehabilitation training and psychological intervention, but the treatment group also received microcurrent transcranial electrical stimulation treatment.All the patients were evaluated with Hamilton's depression scale (HAMD) and the mini-mental state exam (MMSE) and given Barthel index (BI) scores before and after 4 weeks of treatment.Results There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in terms of any of the measures before treatment.After 4 weeks of treatment, both groups had improved significantly, but the improvements on all measures were significantly better in the treatment group.Conclusion Cranial electrotherapy combined with psychological intervention can significantly improve symptoms of depression and cognitive function in patients with post-stroke depression, and play an important role in improving their daily life.