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Published on: October 11, 2024
Apathy and functional recovery following first-ever stroke
Naohiko Santa1, Hiroshi Sugimori, Kenji Kusuda
1Department of Medicine, Seiai Rehabilitation Hospital, Japan.
Summary
Apathy, a lack of emotion, affects 21% of first-ever stroke patients. This condition may hinder functional recovery after stroke, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Apathy is a common neuropsychiatric symptom following stroke.
- Understanding its prevalence and impact is crucial for effective patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of apathy in patients after a first-ever stroke.
- To investigate the influence of apathy on functional recovery during rehabilitation.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 67 first-ever stroke patients (45-90 years old).
- Exclusion criteria included marked dementia or aphasia.
- Functional status assessed using Barthel Index and Functional Independence Measures.
- Patients categorized based on apathy scores using an apathy scale.
Main Results:
- Apathy was diagnosed in 14 patients (21%).
- Apathetic patients were older and more cognitively impaired.
- No significant differences in baseline neurological deficits, depression, or admission functional status.
- Apathetic patients showed marginally less improvement in functional measures post-rehabilitation.
Conclusions:
- Apathy is a frequent condition after first-ever stroke.
- Apathy may negatively impact functional recovery in stroke survivors.
- Further research into interventions for post-stroke apathy is warranted.
