Catastrophic reaction in acute stroke: a reflex behavior in aphasic patients

Neurology. 2001 Nov 27;57(10):1902-5. doi: 10.1212/wnl.57.10.1902.

Abstract

Twelve patients with a catastrophic reaction (CR) (an outburst of frustration, depression, and anger when confronted with a task) were identified in a prospective cohort population (n = 326) with first-ever stroke admitted within 48 hours from onset. The authors' findings suggest that CR is a rare though not exceptional phenomenon in acute stroke and is associated with nonfluent aphasias and left opercular lesions. CR, poststroke depression, and emotionalism are distinct but related disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aphasia / diagnosis
  • Aphasia / physiopathology*
  • Aphasia / psychology
  • Brain Mapping
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiopathology
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / diagnosis
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / physiopathology*
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / psychology
  • Cerebral Infarction / diagnosis
  • Cerebral Infarction / physiopathology*
  • Cerebral Infarction / psychology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Depression / diagnosis
  • Depression / physiopathology*
  • Depression / psychology
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Frustration*
  • Hostility*
  • Humans
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / diagnosis
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / physiopathology
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / psychology
  • Intracranial Embolism / diagnosis
  • Intracranial Embolism / physiopathology*
  • Intracranial Embolism / psychology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Prospective Studies
  • Reflex, Abnormal / physiology*
  • Thalamus / physiopathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed