This study examined whether stroke lesions involving left hemisphere
prefrontal or basal ganglia structures are associated with poststroke
depression. A consecutive series of first-ever stroke patients with single
small lesions on CT scan were examined for the presence and severity of
poststroke depressive disorder. Lesions involving left prefrontal or basal
ganglia structures were compared with other left hemisphere lesions and all
right hemisphere lesions. Forty-one patients were examined. Patients with
lesions involving left hemisphere prefrontal or basal ganglia structures
had a higher frequency of depressive disorder (9/12; 75%) than other left
hemisphere lesions (1/12; 8%) or those with right hemisphere lesions (5/17;
29%), P = 0.002. These findings suggest that damage to neural pathways
within left hemisphere prefrontal or basal ganglia structures is associated
with depressed mood following stroke.Abstract Teaser