Email this article Alexithymia in patients after the first cerebral stroke
- Authors: Savina M.A.1
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Affiliations:
- Menthal Health Research Centre
- Issue: Vol LI, No 4 (2019)
- Pages: 25-28
- Section: Original study arcticles
- URL: https://bakhtiniada.ru/1027-4898/article/view/16435
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.17816/nb16435
- ID: 16435
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Abstract
Alexithymia is considered to be a frequent complication of stroke that is not studied in Russian population.
Aim. To determine frequency of alexithymia in patients with first-ever stroke and particularly in patients with affective disorders.
Methods. 40 patients (mean age 63.1±12.0 years, 40% female) involved in prospective cohort study were assessed by 26-point Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Scores more than 62 were considered as borderline level of alexithymia, more than 74 as obvious alexithymia.
Results. Borderline alexithymia was found in 13 patients (32.5% of sample), obvious alexithymia — in 20 patients (50%). Patients with alexithymia were more frequently male and didn`t differ by age, educational level, stroke severity, lesion volume and location, cognitive dysfunction severity, comorbid somatic pathology. Alexithymia was more frequent in patient with pre-stroke and post-stroke depression but was not associated with generalized anxiety disorder.
Conclusions. Alexithymia frequently accompanies post-stroke depression. High alexithymia score in patients with pre-stroke depression may indicate that Toronto Alexithymia Scale gives false-positive results in gerontological patients with depressive disorders.
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##article.viewOnOriginalSite##About the authors
Maria A. Savina
Menthal Health Research Centre
Author for correspondence.
Email: maria_savina@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0086-5704
SPIN-code: 4263-6839
Scopus Author ID: 34880915000
ResearcherId: C-2044-2018
Leading researcher, Ph. D., department of geronotpsychiatry
Russian Federation, 115522, Moscow, Kashirskoe highway, 34References
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