Depression and Other Factors Linked to Dependence After Stroke
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
By: American Academy of Neurology (AAN)

American Academy of Neurology (AAN)

People who have a stroke are more likely to be dependent if they are depressed, older or have other medical problems, according to a study published in the March 15, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"Post-stroke depression is a common problem. About 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke each year and one third of survivors develop depression as a result," said study author Arlene Schmid, PhD, OTR, with the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Indiana University in Indianapolis. "We wanted to see whether depression and other factors affected function and dependence after a stroke."