Cognition and depression in cerebellar and frontal lobe stroke patients

Contrary to prior beliefs, various case studies have shown that the cerebellum is involved in higher order cognitive functions, and the cerebrocerebellar circuitry has been implicated in subserving such functions. Specifically, cerebellar lesions are associated with a constellation of deficits termed the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome (Schmahmann & Sherman, 1998). The purpose of the current study was to 1) compare the cognitive profile of patients with frontal lobe (N = 28) versus cerebellar (N = 31) strokes, 2) examine the effects of depression on cognition, and 3) to understand how structural and emotional factors relate to cognitive functioning. Results are consistent with previous findings of impaired executive functioning, verbal fluency, and spatial organization in patients with cerebellar strokes, which is also similar to the impairments found in patients with frontal lobe strokes. Patients with frontal lobe strokes exhibited a larger magnitude of impairment on select tests. Overall, the presence of major depressive disorder alone did not affect performance on neuropsychological measures. Laterality and stroke volume did not significantly account for performance on neuropsychological tests.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology, Clinical

Grantor

University of Houston

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Agbayani, Kristina

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Hiscock, Merrill
• Dulay, Mario F., Jr.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Massman, Paul J.
• Tian, T. Siva
• Karmonik, Christof

• Cognition
• Depression
• Cerebellum
• Frontal lobe
• Stroke

Statement dc:rights

• The author of this work is the copyright owner. UH Libraries and the Texas Digital Library have their permission to store and provide access to this work. Further transmission, reproduction, or presentation of this work is prohibited except with permission of the author(s).

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10657/872

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uh-ir.tdl.org:10657/872