Background: The viability and usefulness of cognitive assessment in acute stroke has been questioned. Practical challenges arise from focal neurological deficits and heterogeneity in arousal state.
Principal investigators: Cumming T, Darby D, Brodtmann A, Bernhardt J
Co-ordinating centre: National Stroke Research Institute
Participating centre: Austin Hospital, Melbourne
Aims: To test the feasibility of assessing attentional function in acute stroke and to evaluate whether acute measures of attention correlate with attentional function in the longer term.
Study design: A longitudinal study with 3 assessment sessions (within 2 weeks of stroke, then at 3 and 12 months post-stroke).
Methods: Patients with confirmed stroke completed 3 computerised cognitive tasks (CogState) within 2 weeks of stroke and again at 3 and 12 months post-stroke. The tasks were a simple reaction time task (detection), a choice reaction time task (identification) and a working memory task (one-back) that required a button press to visual stimuli (playing cards). At the 3-month time point, cognitive screening tools and an extended neuropsychological battery were also administered.
Progress: Recruitment ceased in March 2011, with 12-month follow-ups to be completed in March 2012.
Funding for this project was obtained from the National Stroke Foundation and the Equity Trustees Preston & Loui Geduld Trust Fund. Dr Cumming was supported by a National Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.
“Research is the process of going up alleys to see if they are blind.”
