Find in Library

Cerebro-vascular disease in an important and a frequent cause of dementia. However, the prevalence and magnitude of global cognitive dysfunction in acute stroke has not been studied. Folstein′s mini mental state examination (MMSE) is 2 sensitive and reliable test and may serve as a simple tool for screening dementia. Fifty consecutive patients with first ever completed stroke in life and no past history of cognitive disturbances were administered MMSE at least 10 days after the onset of stroke. Cranial CT scans were done in all after 48 hours of stroke. CT scans were blindly analysed and graded for number, location and volume of infarctions, white matter leukoaraiosis (WMLA) and cortical and sub cortical atrophy. The radiological parameters of those with MMSE score of 23 or less on MMSE. Of all the conventional risk factors, only age of the patients was significantly higher in the "demented" group. Of the radiological parameters namely-number and volume of infarcts, WMLA, bi-frontal ratio (BFR), 3rd ventricular ratio (3 VR), cella media index (CMI) and cortical index (CI), only cortical index was significantly more among patients with lower MMSE scores. Prevalence of global cerebral dysfunction first ever ischaemic stroke was 46% in this study. Advanced age and cortical atrophy appear to contribute to the low scores on MMSE. Though, volume and number of infarctions were higher among patients with low score, the differences were not statistically significant.