Short- and long-term psychological status following stroke: short form MMPI results

Article Abstract:

To evaluate the relationship between time elapsed after a cerebrovascular accident (CVA or stroke) and self-ratings of depression and psychological functioning as measured by a short version of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MPI), a consecutively admitted series of adult, right-handed patients with a history of CVA was studied. The patients were chosen from the outpatient files of a neurological clinic. All had been administered an IQ test and the short form of the MMPI upon admittance to the clinic. No patient had a history of major depression, head injury, psychiatric disorder, substance abuse, or prior CVA. They were divided into either a short duration group (11 men and 10 women recuperating from stroke for two to six months) or a long duration group (15 men and 10 women recuperating from 7 to 24 months). The groups were similar in terms of educational status, age, and site and degree of CVA lesions. Data analysis revealed that the long duration group suffered significantly more depression, anxiety, anger, suspiciousness, confusion, and social isolation than the short duration group. Findings are primarily applicable for right-handed, right-hemisphere-damaged patients, since many patients with left hemisphere lesions were excluded from the study due to language impairment or right-sided paralysis (the left hemisphere of the brain controls functioning of the right side of the body and visa versa), which made it difficult for them to complete the tests. It is thought that depression is very common after stroke and becomes worse over time due to both psychological and neurobiological factors. Patients with longer recovery periods may become more astute and more able to judge their impairments, since the short duration group had an average IQ score of 89, while the long duration group had an average score of 93. As time goes by, some patients may despair that improvement will not be as rapid or extensive as they had hoped. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Testing, Complications and side effects, Stroke (Disease), Stroke, Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory, Psychiatric disability evaluation

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Skin conductance levels in panic disorder and depression

Article Abstract:

Studies have shown that skin conductance levels (SCLs) in patients with depression are lower than in those without depression. In panic disorder victims, SCLs show a different pattern than in depressed patients. In those with panic disorders, SCLs tend to be higher at baseline and fluctuate more spontaneously than in those without panic disorders. Another area of interest to researchers is the relationship between panic disorder and depression. From 30 to 40 percent of those with panic disorder are thought to suffer from major depression at times. Examination of SCLs in these two groups of patients may help to define the nature of the relationship between these two disorders. It has been suggested that depression may be one response to panic disorder, or that they are both symptoms of a larger disorder. The present study investigated SCLs and other characteristics of 63 subjects. All the subjects had panic disorder, and 21 had major depressive episodes as well. Subjects were interviewed, histories were taken, and assessments of anxiety and depression were made. SCLs were obtained for all patients and 10 normal subjects were tested as well. There was some evidence that low SCLs were associated with depression, but high SCLs were not associated with severity of panic disorder. There was also some evidence to suggest that the depression associated with panic disorder may not be the same as primary depression. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Panic disorders, Panic disorder, Galvanic skin response

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