Self-reported Depressive Symptoms in Myasthenia Gravis.

It is well known that patients with a chronic medical illness experience major depression at a higher rate than the general population. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of depression among patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) who were referred to a Muscular Dystrophy Association clinic. Forty-five patients with a diagnosis of MG were evaluated with a self-administered survey regarding various typical somatic and psychologic symptoms of depression (the Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]) and then scored according to the BDI guidelines.

Empathy and social-emotional factors in recovery from stroke.

There is growing interest in evaluating the social and emotional effects of stroke, with the aim of improving recovery and outcome. Recent investigations indicate that post-stroke depression and social impairment are cross-cultural consequences that affect between one-third and two-thirds of patients. These conditions appear to be undertreated, even though studies confirm measurable benefits of medical and caregiver education interventions.