Background and purpose. Psychological reactions after stroke have been recognized for some time. The present study examined whether psychological symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could occur after stroke as a consequence of the sudden and unpredictable occurrence of a life-threatening internal stressor.
Methods. Sixty-one patients who had experienced a ®rst-ever stroke or transient ischaemic attack were assessed using standard self-report clinical measures for anxiety, depression and PTSD. Those patients who ful®lled criteria on at least one PTSD self-report measure were subsequently assessed using a structured clinical interview for PTSD.
Results. Six (9.8%) patients ful®lled criteria for PTSD. No signi®cant dierences were found between the poststroke PTSD group and the non-PTSD group in terms of premorbid health and lifestyle, or experiences of adverse life events. Signi®cant dierences were noted with respect to self-reported post-stroke mental health and premorbid neuroticism. The post-stroke PTSD group also scored consistently higher on measures of anxiety, depression and psychiatric caseness.
Conclusions. The results of this study demonstrate a number of close similarities between post-stroke PTSD and classical PTSD. We therefore conclude that PTSD or a PTSD-like syndrome can occur after stroke.