Psychological and cognitive indicators of Takotsubo syndrome
1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Benha University, Cairo, Egypt.
Insights
Patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) exhibit higher anxiety, depression, and cognitive deficits, particularly in executive functions, memory, and attention, compared to healthy individuals. This highlights a significant brain-heart interaction in TTS.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), or broken-heart syndrome, mimics acute coronary syndrome and is linked to severe stress.
- Existing literature suggests TTS patients experience elevated anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare psychological indicators (anxiety and depression) and cognitive functions between TTS patients and healthy controls.
- To elucidate the relationship between psychological state, cognitive function, and Takotsubo syndrome.
Main Methods:
- A case-control cross-sectional study involving 20 TTS patients and 20 matched healthy controls.
- Utilized clinical interviews, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Raven's Progressive Matrices Test, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
Main Results:
- TTS patients showed significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to controls.
- Cognitive impairment was more prevalent in TTS patients, affecting executive functions, memory, and attention.
- Results suggest a distinct brain-heart interaction in Takotsubo syndrome.
Conclusions:
- Psychological and cognitive issues in TTS are multifactorial.
- Findings suggest an interplay of cerebral hypoperfusion, neurohormonal changes, and brain network dysfunction in TTS.
- The study underscores the complex relationship between psychological stress, brain function, and cardiac events in Takotsubo syndrome.
Background:
Takotsubo syndrome (broken-heart syndrome) is considered a cardiac disorder typically associated with exposure to severe psychological or physical stress, and it clinically resembles acute coronary syndrome. The literature indicates its association with elevated levels of anxiety and depression among patients, in addition to the potential impairment of cognitive functions.
Aims:
This study aims to identify the differences in psychological indicators (anxiety & depression) and cognitive functions between patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) and healthy Controls.
Methods:
A case-control cross-sectional design was employed. The study sample consisted of twenty patients who were selected from the Health Insurance Hospital in Zagazig, Al-Sharqia Governorate, aged (35.8 ± 8.4) years, and twenty healthy Controls aged (36 ± 9.7) years, who were matched with the patient group in terms of demographic characteristics, including gender, age, educational level, and mental state variables. The study instruments included an initial clinical interview for data collection, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Raven's Progressive Matrices Test, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
Results:
The study revealed a significant increase in anxiety and depression levels, along with cognitive impairment in patients with TTS compared to healthy controls, manifested particularly in executive functions, memory, and attention, thereby reflecting a unique interaction between the brain and the heart in this syndrome.
Conclusions:
The findings indicate that the psychological and cognitive indicators in patients with TTS are multifactorial in nature, involving an interplay of Cerebral Hypoperfusion, Neurohormonal alterations, and dysfunction of brain networks.
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