The definition of apathy in the dictionary is described as “a lack of feeling or emotion or a lack of interest or concern.” In a study of 124 poststroke patients who were examined at either 2, 6, or 12 months following stroke, apathy was reported in 27% of the patients while depression was reported in 61% and irritability in 33% (Angelelli et al. 2004). Apathy has been associated with bilateral paramedian, or interior thalamic infarctions (Ghika-Schmid and Bogousslavsky 2000; Krolak-Salmon et al. 2000), or frontal lobe lesions (Daffner et al. 2000). Helgason et al. (1988) has also reported that apathy was associated with the medial temporal and lateral diencephalic lesions associated with anterior choroidal artery infarction.

Although there are relatively few publications examining apathy in patients with stroke, it constitutes an important neuropsychiatric syndrome because of its effects on rehabilitation, social interaction, and return to work. Apathetic patients may refuse to participate in rehabilitation exercises, feed, dress, and care for themselves or to interact with others. Thus, the importance of apathy in patients with stroke is highly significant.

Utilizing the same group of patients that we used for studies of anosognosia and catastrophic reactions, 80 patients were also assessed for apathy using a modified version of the “apathy scale” developed by Marin (1991) and Starkstein et al. (1992).