Morphological and Metabolic Alteration of Cerebellum in Patients with Post-Stroke Depression

To study morphological and metabolic changes of cerebellum with multimodality magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), respective, to explore correlation between cerebellum alteration and severity of depression in patients with post-stroke depression.

60 subjects, including 40 stroke patients and 20 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Depression of stroke patients was tested by Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), based on which stroke-patients were grouped into post-stroke depression (PSD group) and without post-stroke depression (CONT group).

Volume of cerebellum decreased in PSD group and CONT group compared with healthy volunteer (NORM) group. White matter of cerebellum in PSD group and CONT group was disrupted; such disruption was significantly in PSD group. In addition, there was correlation between cerebellum volume and FA and HDRS scores (P<00.01). The Cho/Cr and Cho/NAA ratios in cerebellum contralateral to stroke lesion in PSD were higher than those in NORM group (P<0.05). Cho/Cr and Cho/NAA ratios in contralateral cerebellum and ratio difference of Cho/Cr in bilateral cerebellum were positively correlated with HAMD scales (P<0.05).

Morphologic and metabolic alterations are evident in patients with post-stroke depression, indicating possible involvement of cerebellum in post-stroke-depression occurrence.