This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 38/1/198    most recent 01.STR.0000251842.34322.8fv1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Snaphaan, L. Articles by de Leeuw, F.-E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Snaphaan, L. Articles by de Leeuw, F.-E. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Memory Stroke Related Collections Acute Cerebral Infarction Behavioral Changes and Stroke Related Article

(Stroke. 2007;38:198.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Comments, Opinions, and Reviews

Poststroke Memory Function in Nondemented Patients

A Systematic Review on Frequency and Neuroimaging Correlates

Liselore Snaphaan, MSc Frank-Erik de Leeuw, MD

From the Department of Neurology, University Medical Center St. Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Correspondence to Frank-Erik de Leeuw, MD, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center St. Radboud, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, (HP 935), The Netherlands. E-mail h.deleeuw{at}neuro.umcn.nl

Background and Purpose— Poststroke memory dysfunction is a prerequisite for the diagnosis of poststroke dementia. This diagnosis is made within months after a stroke, apparently assuming a relatively stable course of the poststroke memory function. Clinical experience added to anecdotal evidence from the literature suggests that poststroke memory function may be reversible. The aim of the present study was to systematically review the available data on the time course of poststroke memory function in nondemented stroke survivors. In addition, we wanted to investigate the role of (pre-)stroke characteristics on poststroke memory function.

Methods— We performed systematic literature search of PubMed with the following medical subject heading terms: memory and stroke. The search strategy yielded 798 articles of which 65 fulfilled our inclusion criteria and went on to the data extraction stage.

Results— Five studies reported the prevalence of poststroke memory dysfunction at different poststroke intervals. The prevalence of poststroke memory dysfunction varied from 23% to 55% 3 months poststroke, which declined from 11% to 31% 1 year poststroke. Larger stroke volume, prestroke medial temporal lobe atrophy, and white matter lesions were related with decreased poststroke memory function.

Conclusions— Not all patients with poststroke memory dysfunction 3 months after a stroke had memory dysfunction 1 year poststroke. Consequently, not all criteria for the dementia diagnosis were fulfilled any more. This may indicate that poststroke dementia may be reversible in a substantial proportion of patients with stroke. Preferably, standardized reassessment of cognitive function should be performed in each patient diagnosed with poststroke dementia.

Key Words: cognitive • prevalence • stroke

Related Article:

Poststroke Cognition and the Fight Against the Hard Problem: Vascular Neurologists, Enter the Arena!

Jan Lodder
Stroke 2007 38: 7-8. [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. B. Gorelick and J. V. Bowler Advances in Vascular Cognitive Impairment 2007 Stroke, February 1, 2008; 39(2): 279 - 282. [Full Text] [PDF]