Poststroke emotional and behavior impairment: a narrative review

Abstract

Emotional and behavioral disturbances are a frequent complication in stroke survivors. They are underdiagnosed, have a high impact on quality of life and are often a precipitant of institutionalization. For the caregivers of stroke survivors, these disturbances are a main cause of exhaustion. Health professionals have an insufficient training in their diagnosis and management which demands qualified skills and dedication of a multiprofessional team. In this article, we update some of the most common or relevant poststroke emotional and behavioral disturbances, including poststroke mania and poststroke depression, poststroke anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, personality changes with focus on apathy and disturbances of emotional expression control. Significant advances in the management of poststroke emotional and behavioral disturbances will need the use of comparable instruments and methods and multicenter collaboration.