Behavioral and neuroanatomical correlates of facial emotion processing in post-stroke depression.

Background: Emotion processing deficits are known to accompany depressive symptoms and are often seen in stroke patients. Little is known about the influence of post-stroke depressive (PSD) symptoms and specific brain lesions on altered emotion processing abilities and how these phenomena develop over time. This potential relationship may impact post-stroke rehabilitation of neurological and psychosocial function.

Neuroanatomy of post-stroke depression: the association between symptom clusters and lesion location.

Post-stroke depression affects about 30% of stroke patients and often hampers functional recovery. The diagnosis of depression encompasses heterogeneous symptoms at emotional, motivational, cognitive, behavioural or somatic levels. Evidence indicates that depression is caused by disruption of bio-aminergic fibre tracts between prefrontal and limbic or striatal brain regions comprising different functional networks.

To engage or not engage: Early incentive motivation prevents symptoms of chronic post-stroke depression - A longitudinal study.

Background: Although post-stroke depression (PSD) is known to disrupt motor rehabilitation after stroke, PSD is often undertreated and its relationship with motor impairment remains poorly understood.

Methods: In a longitudinal study design we investigated, which factors at the early post-acute stage may increase the risk for PSD symptoms. We were especially interested in whether interindividual differences in the motivational drive to engage in physically demanding tasks indicate PSD development in patients suffering from motor impairments.