ObjectiveTo study the anatomical abnormalities of basal ganglia and research their influence on depression status in patients with post stroke depression (PSD)by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of MRI.MethodsPatients with basal ganglia infarction were recruited,and divided into groups of PSD and non depression control group by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) assessment. All the patients were evaluated with National Institute of Health Stroke Scale ( NIHSS). And the patients were checked by DTI sequence.Fractional anisotropy (FA),average diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and the number of nerve fiber were measured in bilateral caudatum,pallidum,putamen and thalamus.ResultsThe score of NIHSS (6.29 ± 3.45 ) was significantly higher in PSD group than that in non-depression group (3.95 ± 1.90 ;t =2.219,P =0.036). No significant difference was found between the two groups for the DTI data of the basal ganglia nuclei ( t =0.056-1.618,all P ＞ 0.05 ). Compared with contralateral construction (0.40 ± 0.02 ),the FA value decreased in the left putamen ( 0.37 ± 0.03 ) in the PSD group ( t =2.243,P =0.045 ).By Spearman correlations analysis,the HAMD score was positively correlated with NIHSS score ( r =0.464,P =0.017 ),and negatively correlated with the FA values of left pallidum (r=-0.563,P=0.005),right pallidum (r=-0.416,P=0.035) and left putamen (r =-0.428,P =0.029).Conclusions The occurrence of PSD was associated with neurological functional deficit following basal ganglia infarction.The depression level was correlated with the increasing of NIHSS score,the reductions in bilateral pallidum and left putamen FA values.This research contributes to evaluation of the PSD status in patients with basal ganglia infarction.