Stroke survivors that suffer depressive symptoms have worse outcomes in terms of recovery of cognitive and functional abilities, according to a new study presented at the Congress of the European Academy of Neurology in Berlin. Experts say that screening and a more intensive treatment approach are required.
Berlin, 23 June 2015 – Patients that present depressive symptoms at the time of or after a stroke or transitory ischemic attack (TIA) have a higher risk of cognitive impairment and poorer functional outcome. This is the conclusion of an Israeli study presented at the First Congress of the European Academy of Neurology in Berlin. More than 6,500 experts from all over the world are discussing the latest developments in their field in the German capital city from 20 to 23 June.
In the view of the study’s authors, its results make a strong case for screening stroke and TIA patients for depressive symptoms. “These patients could benefit from closer monitoring and a more intensive treatment approach,” the experts claims.
The team of researchers at Tel Aviv University analysed data from 506 stroke and TIA patients from the TABASCO prospective cohort study admitted to an intensive care unit in Tel Aviv between April 2008 and December 2011. Significant markers of cognitive impairment were found in 16.7% of these patients within two years of the stroke or TIA.
“The study clearly demonstrates the complexity of cerebral recovery processes after a stroke. What remains unclear, however, is the extent to which the depressive symptoms observed were the result of a pre-existing condition or a direct consequence of the stroke. Whatever the cause, the results support the case for a more holistic approach to medical surveillance and an intensive treatment approach to support recovery”, noted EAN Vice President Prof. Franz Fazekas, of the Medical University in Graz, Austria.
Source: EAN Abstract Tene et al, Depressive Symptoms Following Stroke and TIA: Is it Time for a More Intensive Treatment Approach? Results from the TABASCO Cohort Study
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