Little evidence for different phenomenology in poststroke depression

It remains unclear whether mood depressive disorders after stroke have a distinct phenomenology. We evaluated the symptom profile of poststroke depression (PSD) and assessed whether somatic symptoms were reported disproportionately by stroke patients.

The sample was 149 stroke patients at 18 months poststroke and 745 age- and sex-matched general population controls. A comprehensive psychiatric interview was undertaken and depression was diagnosed according to DSM-III-R criteria.

Depressed controls reported more 'inability to feel' (P = 0.002) and 'disturbed sleep' (P = 0.008) than depressed stroke patients. Factor analysis of the 10 depressive symptoms identified two main factors, which appeared to represent somatic and psychological symptoms. There was no difference in scores on these two factors between stroke patients and controls.

Phenomenology of depression at 18 months poststroke is broadly similar but not the same as that described by controls. Somatic symptoms of depression were not over-reported by stroke patients.