The Effect of Psychological Factors on Cognitive Functions in Stroke Patients With Chronic Fatigue

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Cognitive and psychological impairments are among the disabling consequences of chronic stroke. Despite the high prevalence of these impairments in patients with chronic stroke and the significant impact of psychological factors on cognitive factors in other neurological diseases, no study was found to investigate the relationship between psychological factors and cognitive factors in chronic stroke patients with chronic fatigue. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between psychological factors and cognitive functions in chronic stroke patients with chronic fatigue Methods: A total of 85 chronic stroke patients with chronic fatigue visited the Rehabilitation Centers of Tehran, Iran, were selected through the simple non-probability sampling method and enrolled in this correlational study. The Fatigue Severity Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory were used to measure the levels of the fatigue, depression, and anxiety of patients with strokes, respectively. Besides, the cognitive functions of the participants were assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and the Pain Visual Analog Scale. Results: Based on the regression models, the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment explained up to 24.2% and 39.6% of the variance of cognitive functions, respectively. In all step-by-step models, the variables of anxiety, education level, and depression were the strongest predictors of cognitive functions. Conclusion: According to the clinical findings, psychological impairments, such as anxiety can adversely affect cognitive factors in chronic stroke patients with chronic fatigue. Therefore, therapeutic interventions focused on psychological factors may considerably improve the cognitive skills of these patients.