A Twelve-Week Moderate Exercise Programme Improved Symptoms of Depression, Insomnia, and Verbal Learning in Post-Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage Patients: A Comparison with Meningioma Patients and Healthy Controls.

Objectives: Deficits in psychological functioning, cognitive functioning, and sleep are frequently experienced by individuals who have survived aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH). Exercise has been shown to improve these domains; to date, it has never been explored in patients following aSAH. The aim of this exploratory study is to compare the effects of an exercise programme in this population with another patient group, and a group of healthy controls.

In Individuals Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage, Hair Cortisol Concentrations Are Higher and More Strongly Associated with Psychological Functioning and Sleep Complaints than in Healthy Controls.

Background: Following an aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH), many patients report persistent deficits in psychological functioning, characterised by high levels of stress and symptoms of depression, low life satisfaction, along with poor sleep. Such deficits have been associated with altered saliva and serum cortisol levels due to a dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity (HPA-AA). However, hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) have not been assessed in this population, although this method allows a long-term insight into cortisol values.

Sleep Quality, Sleep EEG Pattern, Mental Well-Being and Cortisol Secretion in Patients with Ruptured Aneurysm Post-Treatment: A Comparison with Post-Surgery Meningioma Patients and Controls.

Background: Although the chance of surviving an aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) has increased steadily, disturbed sleep and persistent psychological complaints are frequently experienced post-ictus. To date, however, few studies have sought to determine whether physiological parameters, such as objectively measured sleep and cortisol secretion, interrelate significantly with low sleep quality and psychological complaints such as depression. Furthermore, there is little evidence as to whether post-ictal complaints differ between aSAH patients and other groups who have experienced stressful medical intervention.

Compared to controls, patients with ruptured aneurysm and surgical intervention show increase in symptoms of depression and lower cognitive performance, but their objective sleep is not affected.

Objectives: Patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) have impaired sleep and cognitive performance together with more difficulties in social and everyday life. Hypocortisolism has also been reported. However, a study assessing all dimensions between aSAH severity, objective and subjective sleep, cortisol secretion, cognitive performance and social and everyday life has not so far been performed.