A reappraisal of poststroke depression, intra- and inter-hemispheric lesion location using meta-analysis.

A recent publication based on a meta-analysis concluded that there was no association between poststroke depression (PSD) and lesion location. This study, therefore, was undertaken to reappraise the hypothesis using meta-analysis of the correlation between severity of depression following stroke and proximity of the lesion to the frontal pole, an issue that was not examined in the prior meta-analysis. Results showed there was a significant inverse correlation between severity of depression and distance of the lesion from the frontal pole among 163 patients with left hemisphere stroke but not among 106 patients with right hemisphere stroke.

Does cognitive recovery after treatment of poststroke depression last? A 2-year follow-up of cognitive function associated with poststroke depression.

Objective: Cognitive impairment is common after stroke and may be caused by poststroke depression. Remission of poststroke major depression after treatment has been associated with improvement in cognitive function. The current study was designed to examine how long that cognitive improvement lasts and to compare depressed patients' cognitive status with that of nondepressed patients with comparable lesions.

Preventing poststroke depression: a 12-week double-blind randomized treatment trial and 21-month follow-up.

This study examined the effect of antidepressants in preventing depression after stroke. Nondepressed poststroke patients (N = 48) were randomly assigned to receive nortriptyline, fluoxetine, or placebo for 3 months by using double-blind methodology and were followed-up for 21 months by using a naturalistic design. During the treatment period, one minor depression developed in the nortriptyline group (n = 13 at 3 months), one minor depression developed in the fluoxetine group (n = 13), and five minor depressions developed in the placebo group (n = 15; p <.

The effect of remission of poststroke depression on activities of daily living in a double-blind randomized treatment study.

Poststroke depression has been associated with impaired recovery of activities of daily living (ADL) during the first 2 years after stroke. This study examined the effect of remission of poststroke depression on recovery in ADL in a double-blind randomized treatment study. Based on a semistructured psychiatric exam and DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, a consecutive series of 23 patients who met criteria for major depression (N = 16) or minor depression (N = 7) were selected and randomly assigned to either active treatment (nortriptyline) or placebo.

Improved recovery in activities of daily living associated with remission of poststroke depression.

Background And Purpose: Poststroke depression is associated with impaired recovery of activities of daily living (ADL) function compared with similar nondepressed patients. We examined the differences on recovery of ADL functions among poststroke depressed patients with remission of their depression compared with poststroke depressed patients without mood recovery over the first 3 to 6 months after stroke.

Methods: On the basis of a semistructured psychiatric examination and DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, a consecutive series of patients with poststroke major or minor depression (n=55) were selected.

Treatment of cognitive impairment after poststroke depression : a double-blind treatment trial.

Background And Purpose: Patients with poststroke major depression have a greater severity of cognitive impairment than nondepressed patients even when matched for size and location of stroke lesion. Prior treatment studies have consistently failed to show an improvement in cognitive function even when poststroke mood disorders responded to antidepressant therapy. We examined the response of cognitive function to treatment with nortriptyline or placebo in a double-blind trial.

Nortriptyline versus fluoxetine in the treatment of depression and in short-term recovery after stroke: a placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

Objective: This study compared nortriptyline and fluoxetine with placebo in the treatment of depression and in recovery from physical and cognitive impairments after stroke.

Method: A total of 104 patients with acute stroke enrolled between 1991 and 1997 entered a double-blind randomized study comparing nortriptyline, fluoxetine, and placebo over 12 weeks of treatment. The majority of patients were recruited from a rehabilitation hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, but other enrollment sites were also used.

Generalized anxiety and depression. Assessment over 2 years after stroke.

The authors examined the course of anxiety up to 2 years after stroke in relation to depressive symptoms, impairment in activities of daily living (ADLs), and social functioning. One hundred forty-two patients were evaluated at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after stroke. Anxiety was associated with greater depression severity at all follow-up visits.

The validity of observed depression as a criteria for mood disorders in patients with acute stroke.

The validity of observed depression as a criteria for major or minor depression was assessed among 301 patients with acute stroke. Patients who acknowledged a depressed mood or loss of interest (standard depression) were compared to patients who denied depression but were 'observed' to be depressed (non-standard depression) for the clinical correlates of depression. Although standard and non-standard major depressions had some clinical correlates such as increased frequency of female gender and prior psychiatric history, standard major depression patients had a significantly higher frequency of left hemisphere lesions than the non-standard major depression patients.