The neurological state and cognition of patients after a stoke

Abstract

The objective of this study was to have a multidisciplinary team investigate the neurological state and cognitive performance of patients after a stroke, through a cross-sectional study with 45 patients in rehabilitation after having an acute stroke. The data collection instruments used were an assessment sheet, the Mini Mental-MEEM, and the National International Health Stroke Scale-NIHSS. The sample consisted mostly of women (55.6%), Ischemic Stroke (86.7%), right hemisphere of the brain (60%) and Educated (68.8%). The mean MEEM for educated and illiterate patients was 19.3 ± 5.0 and 15.92 ± 3.7, respectively. The overall mean of the neurological state was 13.0±4.8. A significant difference was found between the cognitive means of patients in terms of education (p value=0.017), and there was a significant relationship between the neurological state and cognitive performance (r=-0.44 p value=0.002). It appears to be a direct relationship between the neurological state and cognition performance of patients after an acute stroke, which evinces the need for greater attention to the cognitive issue involved early in rehabilitation.