Cognitive Functions in Acute Ischemic Stroke Period

Abstract

Aim: to assess the dynamics of the state of cognitive functions in the acute period of ischemic stroke. Design: prospective study. Material and methods. The study included a group of observation of patients in the acute period of ischemic stroke in the amount of 26 people. The cognitive sphere was assessed twice: on admission to the hospital on days 2-3, and on discharge on days 8-10. Scales used to assess the cognitive sphere: Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), The Clock-drawing Test (CDT). The emotional-volitional sphere was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Data were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. Results. In a dynamic assessment, cognitive disorders in the observed group were most pronounced upon admission to the hospital. By discharge on days 8-10, according to the MMSE test, there was a positive trend, the increase was by 2b, MoCA by 2b, FAB by 1b, respectively, the results were significant (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.001). In the analysis of subscales according to the MMSE test, improvements to the extract were according to word reproduction (p = 0.005), speech functions (p = 0.04). According to MoCA, the improvement in total scores was due to subscales: memory (p = 0.01), attention (p = 0.05), speech (p = 0.04), abstraction (p = 0.005). Changes in the FAB test were driven by the conceptualization function (p = 0.04) and the simple choice response (p = 0.008). Anxiety and depression were not detected in the studied patients. Conclusion. During the acute period of ischemic stroke, the degree of cognitive impairment significantly decreases by 8-10 days against the background of ongoing treatment. Keywords: stroke, cognitive impairment, dementia, post-stroke cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment.