Post-stroke depression increases dependency
March 16th, 2011 - 3:57 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Mar 16 (ANI): Stroke survivors who are depressed may be more likely to lose some of their capability to function normally, a new study has found.
Although as many as a third of those who experience a stroke develop depression, a new study by researchers from the Regenstrief Institute, the schools of health and rehabilitation sciences and of medicine at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center is the first to look whether managing post-stroke depression improves physical functioning.
They researchers report that individuals who remain depressed three months after a stroke are more likely to have decreased functional capabilities than those whose depression was successfully treated.
Functional capabilities include getting dressed, feeding oneself, and accomplishing other tasks. These capabilities increased significantly in those individuals who were treated for depression.
Post-stroke depression appears to be linked to chemical changes in the brain, clinical evidence indicates.
“The relationship between post-stroke depression and recovery of function after a stroke has not been well understood. Previous researchers have looked at both depression and function after stroke but they did not investigate whether identifying and managing depression improved ability to accomplish tasks of daily living and other function related issues,” said study first author Arlene A. Schmid, a Regenstrief Institute investigator, an assistant professor of occupational therapy at the IU School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and a VA Center of Excellence on Implementing Evidence Based Practice investigator.
The researchers in the new study report that successful depression management led to better functionality that might enable the individual to return to work or more thoroughly enjoy leisure functions while decreasing the caregiver burden.
“Restoring lost function after stroke is the number one reason individuals visit occupational therapists,” said Dr. Schmid.
“Since treating depression helps improve function, occupational therapists should screen for post-stroke depression and, in conjunction with other members of the patient’s health care team, help manage depression.”
The study appears in the March 15, 2011 issue of the journal Neurology. (ANI)
- Depression, age, medical problems linked to dependence post stroke - Mar 15, 2011
- LEDs may help improve cognitive function after traumatic brain injury - Mar 18, 2011
- Yoga helps elderly stroke victims improve balance, endurance - Jun 05, 2011
- New research looks at getting stroke patients back on the feet - Feb 13, 2011
- Women more likely to suffer depression after stroke than men - Nov 11, 2009
- Chronic pain takes a toll on primary care providers as well as patients - Dec 17, 2010
- Robot therapy can improve arm, shoulder mobility in stroke patients - Feb 11, 2011
- Antidepressants could help treat stroke victims - Apr 13, 2010
- Information technology could help prevent, treat depression - Dec 04, 2010
- Reducing pain and depression of cancer through phone - Jul 14, 2010
- Peer support shows promise in the fight against depression - Feb 16, 2011
- Patients gain limb movement years after stroke - Apr 17, 2010
- 'Brain pacemaker' - effective treatment for Parkinson's disease - Jun 03, 2010
- Magnets can help stroke patients speak - Nov 16, 2011
- Inhaled corticosteroid therapy helps reduce pneumonia mortality - Apr 16, 2011
Tags: arlene, assistant professor, caregiver burden, center of excellence, chemical changes, clinical evidence, depression increases, depression management, functional capabilities, indiana university purdue, iu school, managing depression, occupational therapy, purdue university indianapolis, regenstrief institute, rehabilitation sciences, roudebush va medical center, schmid, stroke depression, stroke survivors