Phenomenological characteristics of poststroke depression: early- versus late-onset.
OBJECTIVE
Authors compared poststroke major (n=17) or minor (n=28) depression diagnosed 3 to 6 months poststroke with major (n=16) or minor (n=22) depression diagnosed at 12 to 24 months to identify changes in the phenomenological characteristics of poststroke depression over time.


METHODS
Depressive symptoms were divided into vegetative, psychological symptoms, and melancholic features elicited by the Present State Exam (PSE). Patients were also examined for severity of depression, social impairment, and neurological findings.


RESULTS
Early-onset poststroke major depression was associated with a higher frequency of vegetative symptoms and larger lesion volume than late-onset major depression. Similarly, early-onset minor depression was associated with poorer social functioning and a higher frequency of melancholic, vegetative, and psychological symptoms than late-onset minor depression.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that the phenomenological characteristics of both major and minor poststroke depression change over time and that both early-onset major and minor poststroke depression may result from similar etiological mechanisms provoked by brain injury.
Tateno
Amane
A
Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Kimura
Mahito
M
Robinson
Robert G
RG
D000368:Aged; D001686:Biological Phenomena; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors