It is well established that the probability of survival after stroke is steadily increasing with concomitant increases in disability and handicap in the community. As a result, there are a growing number of stroke survivors who strive to return to work and other premorbid activities. Despite its economic and social importance, relatively little is known about the mechanisms of ad adjustment, adaptation and """"""""favorable recovery"""""""" after stroke compared to factors associated with outcomes such as death, nursing home placement or basic adaptive daily living skills. The purpose of this investigation is twofold. First, to identify the cognitive and behavior characteristics of ischemic stroke patients who have """"""""favorable outcome, """""""" operationalized as return to premorbid levels of work, avocational activity. Quality of Life. Second, to determine the extent to which these cognitive and behavioral variables and their associated cerebral lesions are predictive of """"""""favorable outcome"""""""". This clinical follow-up study of """"""""favorable outcome"""""""" will involve the systematic investigation of 400 stroke survivors during acute and chronic recovery using standardized measures of cognition; behavior; personality, lesion size and location. Data analyses will include logistic regression, survival analysis, and multiple regression procedures. Findings could potentially increase scientific knowledge about the cognitive, behavioral and neuroanatomic mechanisms to recovery, direct the development of rationally-based treatment programs and help priorities patients for rehabilitation.
