Neuropsychological findings in young-adult stroke patients.

There are few data on neuropsychological deficits in young-adult stroke patients. This study investigates cognitive conditions in a young-adult stroke population, as well as tasks that detect their neuropsychological impairment. Forty 18- to 47-year-old stroke patients, and a matched control group, completed a neuropsychological battery to evaluate deficits related to cognition, daily activities and mood. Patients performed worse than controls; five patients were classified as demented, three had global cognitive impairment and eight partial cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment was more closely associated with reduced performance of daily activities than with motor deficits.