Cognitive Health After Cerebellar Stroke: Potential Link Between Socio-Educational Status and Memory Outcome

While deficits in episodic memory have been noted following cerebellar damage, there is a lack of research systematically exploring the socio-demographic and cognitive profiles of patients with such impairments. This study aimed to differentiate between chronic-phase cerebellar stroke patients with and without verbal episodic memory deficits, and to determine whether those with deficits exhibit distinct socio-demographic and clinical profiles, thereby identifying potential factors associated with these impairments. Data from 15 cerebellar stroke patients in the CEREBEMO cohort were analyzed, with participants categorized into two groups based on verbal episodic memory performance: deficits (n = 8) and no deficits (n = 7). Statistical analyses, including Generalized Linear Mixed Models and Chi-Squared tests, compared socio-demographic and neuropsychological variables between the groups. Significant differences were observed in socio-educational levels, with a higher proportion of patients with memory deficits at intermediate education levels. Moreover, patients with memory deficits performed worse on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the Trail Making Test, indicating overall lower cognitive efficiency and slower processing speed. Post-hoc analysis showed that, despite the limited sample size, our sample effectively detected a significant difference between the two groups with high statistical power. These findings highlight potential socio-educational and cognitive factors associated with memory impairments following cerebellar stroke.