Depressive symptoms following stroke and transient ischemic attack: is it time for a more intensive treatment approach? results from the TABASCO cohort study.

Objective: To examine whether depressive symptoms after a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA) increase the risk of cognitive impairment and functional deterioration at 2-year follow-up.

Methods: Participants were survivors of first-ever, mild-to-moderate ischemic stroke or TIA from the TABASCO prospective cohort study who underwent 3T magnetic resonance imaging and were examined by a multiprofessional team 6, 12, and 24 months after the event using direct interviews, depression scales, and neurologic, neuropsychological, and functional evaluations. The main outcome was the development of cognitive impairment, either mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia.

Cognitive state following mild stroke: A matter of hippocampal mean diffusivity.

The hippocampus is known to play a vital role in learning and memory and was demonstrated as an early imaging marker for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, its role as a predictor for mild cognitive impairment and dementia following stroke is unclear. The main purpose of this study was to examine the associations between hippocampal volume, mean diffusivity (MD) and connectivity and cognitive state following stroke.

Gait measures as predictors of poststroke cognitive function: evidence from the TABASCO study.

Background And Purpose: Patients with stroke are at risk for developing cognitive impairment. We tested whether the assessment of balance and gait can enhance the prediction of long-term cognitive outcome in stroke survivors.

Methods: Participants were patients with first-ever, mild-moderate ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack from the Tel Aviv Brain Acute Stroke Cohort (TABASCO) study, a large prospective cohort study, who underwent 3-T MRI and were followed for ≥2 years using neurological, neuropsychological, and mobility examinations 6, 12, and 24 months after the index event.

Cognitive state following stroke: the predominant role of preexisting white matter lesions.

Background And Purpose: Stroke is a major cause of cognitive impairment and dementia in adults, however the role of the ischemic lesions themselves, on top of other risk factors known in the elderly, remains controversial. This study used structural equation modeling to determine the respective impact of the new ischemic lesions' volume, preexisting white matter lesions and white matter integrity on post stroke cognitive state.

Methods: Consecutive first ever mild to moderate stroke or transient ischemic attack patients recruited into the ongoing prospective TABASCO study underwent magnetic resonance imaging scans within seven days of stroke onset and were cognitively assessed one year after the event using a computerized neuropsychological battery.

Predictors for poststroke outcomes: the Tel Aviv Brain Acute Stroke Cohort (TABASCO) study protocol.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that even survivors of mild stroke experience residual damage, which persists and in fact increases in subsequent years. About 45% of stroke victims remain with different levels of disability. Identifying factors associated with poststroke cognitive and neurological decline could potentially yield more effective therapeutic opportunities.