Anatomical and Clinical Correlates of Depression and Anxiety After Stroke

Original Article

Psychiatry Investigation 2004;1(1):44-9.

Se Joo Kim, MD1;Yoo Sun Moon, MD, PhD, MPH2;Nak Kyung Choi, MD1;Young Shin Kim, MD, MPH1;Bong Ki Son, MD, PhD1;Sang Kyu Lee, MD, PhD1; and Do-Hoon Kim, MD, PhD1;

¹;Department of Psychiatry, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hallym Medical Center, Chunchon, ²;Family Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hallym Medical Center, Chunchon, Korea

Abstract

 Objectives：
The impact of white matter lesions on depressive or anxiety symptoms after stroke has not been fully investigated. This study was undertaken to investigate the clinical and pathoanatomic correlates of depression and anxiety in acute stroke patients, including subcortical lesions (deep white matter, periventricular white matter and subcortical gray matter).

Materials and Methods

：
Sixty-nine patients with acute stoke were recruited. The numbers and volumes of infarcts affecting the different anatomic sites were evaluated in the brain lesions located in regions such as the cortex, brain stem and cerebellum. White matter lesions and subcortical gray matter lesions were rated by Fazekas classification on MRI images. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were rated by Beck depression inventory (BDI) and Beck anxiety inventory (BAI), respectively. Various anatomical and clinical variables were analyzed between depression or anxiety group and the control group (non-depressive or non-anxiety group), in order to evaluate the correlates of depression.

Results


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There were significant correlations between depression and periventricular hyperintensity and deep white matter hyperintensity in the acute stroke patients. There were no significant pathoanatomic correlations between anxiety and brain lesions.

Conclusion


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Our findings suggest that periventricular and deep white matter lesions may increase the risk of depression after stroke. However, to draw more definite conclusions, our findings need to be replicated in larger samples.

Key words Stroke;Depression;Anxiety;Subcortical gray matter;White matter.