Abstract: Objective To investigate the relationships between incidence of post-stroke depression(PSD)and sex,lesion sites and stroke severity,as well as the treatment of anti-depression in elderly patients.Methods 112 stroke patients were assessed by Self-rating Depression Scale(SDS)and Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD)to evaluate the severity of depression,and the related features were analyzed in 42 diagnosed PSD patients.Results The incidence of PSD was 37.5% in elderly patients,90.5% of which were mild-and moderate-depression(P<0.01).The incidence of PSD was significantly different between genders(P<0.01).PSD incidence in patients with basal ganglia lesion was significantly different compared to that with lesions of cerebral cortex,cerebellum or brainstem(P<0.01).PSD incidence in patients with left cerebral hemisphere lesion was similar with that in those with right or both sides of cerebral hemisphere lesions(P>0.05).PSD incidence was different between patients with mono-and poly-lesions.PSD incidence in patients with severe degree of neurological dysfunction was significantly different compared to that with moderate or mild degrees of neurological dysfunction(P<0.05,P<0.01).Based on the treatment of stroke,the HAMD scores decreased significantly after mind-cure and anti-depression medication treatments(P<0.01).Conclusion PSD incidence is high in elderly patients,and most of PSD are mild and moderate.Females are susceptibility with PSD than males.PSD incidence is higher in patients with basal ganglia lesion,but is not correlated with the infracted area.The more lesions in cerebral,and the severer degree of neurological dysfunction,the PSD incidence is higher.The treatments of mind-cure and anti-depression medications based on the treatment of stroke are safe and effective for PSD patients.

Key words: depression, stroke, elderly