Can PTSD Occur with Amnesia for the Precipitating Event?
Cognitive Neuropsychiatry
|August 1, 1996
Summary
This case study shows that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop even after a severe head injury, challenging the idea that traumatic brain injury and PTSD are mutually exclusive.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Theoretical models of PTSD emphasize memory of the precipitating event.
- Some research suggests traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTSD are mutually exclusive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine a case challenging the notion that TBI and PTSD are mutually exclusive.
- To discuss the implications of this case for PTSD development theories.
Main Methods:
- Case study of an individual with severe head injury.
- Assessment of amnesia (retrograde and post-traumatic).
- Evaluation of anxiety symptoms six months post-accident.
Main Results:
- The individual experienced a two-day retrograde amnesia and a four-week post-traumatic amnesia.
- Six months after the injury, the individual exhibited symptoms consistent with PTSD, including nightmares and intrusive thoughts.
Conclusions:
- Severe head injury does not preclude the development of PTSD.
- This case challenges existing theories that view TBI and PTSD as mutually exclusive conditions.
- Further research is needed to understand the complex relationship between TBI and PTSD.
Related Concept Videos
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01:20Traumatic Memory
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01:13Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition marked by long-term memory loss, which impairs the ability to recall past events or create new memories.
The severity and duration of memory loss vary depending on the type and underlying cause. Amnesia is classified into two main types: retrograde and anterograde.
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Anterograde...
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01:21Dissociative Amnesia
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01:16Repressed Memory
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