International journal of stroke : official journal of the International Stroke Society
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Poststroke apathy affects 19-55% of patients following stroke and has a negative impact on functional recovery, general health, and quality of life, as well as being a source of significant burden for caregivers. ⋯ These results indicate that early poststroke alterations of sleep/wake circadian rhythms--easily evaluated by actigraphy--are associated with a higher risk of poststroke apathy at three-months. In terms of clinical outcomes, our results provide targets for very early identification of patients at risk to develop apathy after stroke and for assessing when to start specific therapy to optimize rehabilitation efficiency.