Chronic posttraumatic stress symptoms after nonsevere stroke

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)–related symptoms were present 1 year after a nonsevere stroke and, if so, to examine the relationship between PSTD, coexisting cognitive variables, and infarct localization Methods: The authors assessed 49 patients using standard measures of memory, trauma experience, neurologic deficit, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Results: Fifteen (31%) patients had significant PTSD symptoms on the Impact of Event Scale (IES > 30). PTSD-like syndrome was independent of neurologic impairment, peristroke amnesia, long-term memory impairment, nosognosia, hypochondriac preoccupations, and physical pain during hospitalization, but was more frequent in women, less educated patients, and patients with more negative appraisals of the stroke experience. Intrusions were increased after basal ganglia strokes, suggesting that the re-experiencing phenomena may be modulated by frontosubcortical pathways. Conclusions: Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms seem frequent in patients with nonsevere stroke and were associated with the subjective intensity of the stroke experience and accompanied by a depressive and anxious state.