Neuro-psychological, cognitive and biochemical assessment matched with MR-Imaging in acute and chronic poststroke conditions.

The study design relates to affective symptomatology, particularly poststroke depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms as well as to cognitive decline due to stress-related hypercortisolemia in the early phase after stroke. Extended MRI studies including a functional connectivity (fc-MRI) paradigm have been incorporated to study on subacute midbrain neurodegeneration as a possible morphological correlate of functional and clinical findings.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Stroke in MCA/AchA territory of striato-capsular (at least 125mm³) or non-striatal (10-100cm³) involvement
• MR-imaging can be conducted 24-48 hours of onset
• preserved communication skills

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with psychiatric conditions or medication in the last 4 weeks
• severe medical conditions
• limited prognosis

Adult patients with acute ischemic stroke in MCA/AchA territory within 48 hours of onset