When U.S. Senator John Fetterman checked into the hospital this week to receive treatment for clinical depression, he joined thousands of others who experience this mood disorder after a stroke.
In fact, according to the American Heart Association, one in three stroke patients will have depression.
Dr. Amytis Towfighi, a vascular neurologist who specializes in managing stroke at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, says that part of the cause of post-stroke depression might be due to physiological differences in the brain after a stroke, including inflammation and changes in neurotransmitters.
“However, there's also a component of the disability that people have after a stroke. People might have difficulty with weakness or numbness or speaking and understanding. It affects their lives quite dramatically,” said Towfighi.
Towfighi says post-stroke patients often respond well to treatment for depression, particularly with medication. For patients who are recovering after a stroke, Towfighi looks out for symptoms such as excessive feelings of guilt, having difficulty concentrating or sleeping, and changes in appetite.
Regarding Fetterman, though Towfighi can’t comment directly on his medical care because she is not involved, she applauded the senator for seeking treatment.
“[Having depression] doesn't mean it's going to affect his ability to do his job,” she said. “We should just look at it like any other condition that needs to be detected and treated.”
