Correlation between sympathetic skin response and plasma dopamine, serotonin and HAMD scores in patients with post-stroke depression

Objective To investigate the correlation between sympathetic skin response (SSR) and plasma dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores in patients with post-stroke depression. Methods A total of 57 patients with post-stroke depression and 55 patients with stroke-free depression were enrolled from May 2016 to May 2018 in our hospital. Fifty health people were included in the study. The SSR latency and amplitude of plasma in the medial and lower extremity of the lower extremities were measured and compared. 5-HT levels as well as HAMD scores, and analysis of the correlation between them. Results The SSR latency and amplitude of upper and lower limbs in the post-stroke depression group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (all P<0.05), and the SSR latency of upper and lower limbs in the post-stroke depression group was significantly higher than that in the post-stroke non-depression group (all P<0.05). The SSR latency of upper limbs in the non-depressive group after stroke was significantly higher than that of the normal control group (P<0.05), and the SSR amplitude of upper limbs and lower limbs was significantly lower than that of the normal control group (all P<0.05). The levels of plasma DA and 5-HT in the post-stroke depression group were significantly lower than those in the non-depression group and the normal control group (all P<0.05). The HAMD scores and SSR latency of the upper and lower limbs in the post-stroke depression group were positively correlated (all P<0.05), and were not correlated with the amplitude, but negatively correlated with DA and 5-HT (all P<0.05). The stroke-free group and the normal control group.The SSR latency of upper and lower limbs in the post-stroke depression group was negatively correlated with plasma DA and 5-HT levels (all P<0.05). The SSR latency of upper limbs in the normal control group was negatively correlated with plasma DA and 5-HT levels (all P<0.05). The SSR latency of lower limbs was negatively correlated with plasma DA (P<0.05). Conclusion Based on the detection of SSR, combined with plasma DA, 5-HT level and HAMD score, it can make more rigorous and accurate judgment on patients with post-stroke depression, and can provide a reliable diagnosis basis for clinical.