Abstract

Mood disorder is one of the complications of stroke. The inability to cope with stress is also a prognosis of depression and anxiety. The aim of this study is to assess the response of stress system in the post stroke patients. Twelve healthy controls (HC) and twelve post-stroke patients after filling in the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) which induces acute stress. Salivary samples were collected to determine salivary cortisol levels and ECG record were taken in four times (before, right after stress, after two recoveries: 20 and 40 minutes after stress). ECG was also recorded during TSST and then the linear and non-linear features of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) were analyzed. The results showed that trait anxiety score and baseline salivary cortisol level were higher in post stroke than HC group (P-value <0.05). The increase of cortisol level after stress was only observed in HC that returned to baseline after the second recovery time. The stress increased the relative low frequency of HRV in both groups, however it was significantly lower in the stroke than HC group (P-value < 0.005). There was also a significant difference between alpha 1 DFA measures in stroke group and HC group (P-value <0.05). It is concluded that the impairment of the hormonal axis of stress system in the post-stroke patients that until now was not reported.