Research article
The impact of stroke on emotional intelligence
1 Cognitive Neurology Division, Neurology Department, James A Haley VA Hospital, 13000 Bruce B. Down's Blvd, Tampa, Florida, 33612, USA
2 Professional Center, Calle Munoz Rivera, Oficina 211, Caguas, 00725, Puerto Rico
3 Management & Executive Education at the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. 1000 Holt Avenue 2712, Winter Park Orlando, Florida, USA
4 College of Medicine Biostatistics Core, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Down's Blvd, Tampa, Florida, 33612, USA
BMC Neurology 2010, 10:103 doi:10.1186/1471-2377-10-103
Published: 28 October 2010Abstract
Background
Emotional intelligence (EI) is important for personal, social and career success and has been linked to the frontal anterior cingulate, insula and amygdala regions.
Aim
To ascertain which stroke lesion sites impair emotional intelligence and relation to current frontal assessment measurements.
Methods
One hundred consecutive, non aphasic, independently functioning patients post stroke were evaluated with the Bar-On emotional intelligence test, "known as the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i)" and frontal tests that included the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and Frontal Systems Behavioral Inventory (FRSBE) for correlational validity. The results of a screening, bedside frontal network syndrome test (FNS) and NIHSS to document neurological deficit were also recorded. Lesion location was determined by the Cerefy digital, coxial brain atlas.
Results
After exclusions (n = 8), patients tested (n = 92, mean age 50.1, CI: 52.9, 47.3 years) revealed that EQ-i scores were correlated (negatively) with all FRSBE T sub-scores (apathy, disinhibition, executive, total), with self-reported scores correlating better than family reported scores. Regression analysis revealed age and FRSBE total scores as the most influential variables. The WCST error percentage T score did not correlate with the EQ-i scores. Based on ANOVA, there were significant differences among the lesion sites with the lowest mean EQ-i scores associated with temporal (71.5) and frontal (87.3) lesions followed by subtentorial (91.7), subcortical gray (92.6) and white (95.2) matter, and the highest scores associated with parieto-occipital lesions (113.1).
Conclusions
1) Stroke impairs EI and is associated with apathy, disinhibition and executive functioning. 2) EI is associated with frontal, temporal, subcortical and subtentorial stroke syndromes.
