Apathy is a lack of feeling, emotion or interest about things. It is a common consequence of stroke, and is very disabling for patients and their families. People affected by apathy experience diminished drive, drop many of their previous interests and activities, and engage less with therapy. In previous studies we have shown that depression and apathy are common in SVD and that they have a major impact on quality of life. We were been funded by a Stroke Association Priority Programme Grant to further this work, looking into why apathy occurs after stroke and how we can better treat it.
As part of this programme the Apathy after Stroke study was carried out, in which we followed-up 200 patients with stroke from the time of their stroke to a year after their stroke. We measured apathy and mood symptoms at a number of times over this year, as well as cognitive function, and physical recovery from stroke. We also carried out MRI scans of the brain. This study aimed to give us more information on how common apathy is after stroke, and why it occurs in some people but not in others.
The Apathy after Stroke Study was funded by the Stroke Association