Neuropsychological and neurobehavioral correlates of aggression following traumatic brain injury

This study aimed to establish the neuropsychological and neurobehavioral profile of individuals who develop aggression following traumatic brain injury. In a prospective cohort study, 134 brain-injured individuals who exhibited aggression were compared to 153 individuals who had sustained comparable injuries but were not aggressive. In the aggressive group, specific deficits were identified in verbal memory and visuo-perceptual skills. Compared to normative data, this group had impaired executive-attention function. It is tentatively suggested that significant impairment in verbal memory and visuospatial abilities against a background of diminished executive-attention functioning is associated with the development of aggression after brain injury, especially when other risk factors such as low premorbid IQ, low socioeconomic status, and male gender are present.