title: Poststroke depression: an examination of the literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine literature on poststroke depression (PSD).
  
  
  METHODS
  More than 200 articles related to stroke and depression were selected from a computer-based search spanning 1985 to 1995.
  
  
  METHODS
  All relevant articles on PSD. Articles in foreign languages, case studies, anecdotal reports, book chapters, and reviews were excluded.
  
  
  METHODS
  Summary findings were independently reviewed by the authors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PSD remains a frequent sequela of stroke; its prevalence remains uncertain because of continued methodologic problems in defining subject groupings and in utilizing psychiatrically normed assessment tools with neurologically impaired individuals, and because of the poor specificity/sensitivity of neuroendocrine markers in determining a diagnosis. The etiology of PSD appears to be complex and not fully understood. Although there has been much research on PSD, this review highlights the sparsity of available literature on its treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The review points out the further need for more carefully designed studies of PSD that examine both assessment and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hibbard
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents