Impaired Visual Emotion Recognition After Minor Ischemic Stroke.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence of impaired visual emotion recognition in patients who have experienced a minor ischemic stroke in the subacute phase and to determine associated factors of impaired visual emotion recognition.

DESIGN

A prospective observational study.

SETTING

Stroke unit of a teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with minor ischemic stroke (N=112).

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Patients with minor stroke underwent a neuropsychological assessment in the subacute phase for visual emotion recognition by the Ekman 60 Faces Test and for general cognition. Univariable linear regression analyses were performed to identify associated factors of emotion recognition impairment.

RESULTS

In 112 minor stroke patients, we found a prevalence of 25% of impaired visual emotion recognition. This was significantly correlated with impaired general cognition. Nevertheless, 10.9% of patients with normal general cognition still had impaired emotion recognition. Mood was negatively associated. Stroke localization, hemisphere side, and sex were not associated.

CONCLUSION

Impaired visual emotion recognition is found in about one-quarter of patients with minor ischemic stroke.