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Post-stroke depression

  • Section V Special Patient Groups
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Abstract

Depression is present in 25–30% of stroke patients: though associated with physical disability and loss of function, it cannot be explained simply as a response to the disability. The severity of depression correlates with proximity of the lesion to the left anterior frontal pole, while right hemisphere lesions show the reverse trend. Post-stroke depressions may last more than 7–8 months without treatment, and are highly correlated with a failure to resume premorbid social and physical activities. However, this is a group of patients whose recovery could be hastened by appropriate antidepressant treatment, though most antidepressants are of limited value in the treatment of these patients, because of side-effects or possible toxicity. Since moclobemide has few side-effects it may be uniquely well tolerated in this group of patients, having proven efficacy for both endogenous and reactive depressions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, 7th floor, Clinical Science Building, 3050, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    J. W. G. Tiller

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Tiller, J.W.G. Post-stroke depression. Psychopharmacology 106 (Suppl 1), S130–S133 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02246257

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