Psychological interventions for post-stroke anxiety and depression: Current approaches and future perspectives

Abstract

Psychological interventions have demonstrated efficacy in improving patients' emotional state, cognition, and thinking abilities, thereby enhancing their quality of life and survival. This review examines literature from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, Web of Science, and PubMed databases published over the past decade, focusing on the use of psychotherapy for post-stroke anxiety and depression. The prevalence of anxiety and depression is significantly higher among patients who have experienced a stroke than in the general population, possibly due to vestibular dysfunction following brain injury. Current psychological interventions for stroke patients include cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive psychotherapy, music and art therapy, and exercise therapy. These approaches have been shown to promote psychological wellbeing and physical rehabilitation.

Keywords: Anxiety; Cognitive behavioral therapy; Depression; Psychological intervention; Stroke.

Figure 1

Pathophysiological mechanisms of post-stroke depression. HPA: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal.