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Post-traumatic stress disorder vs traumatic brain injury
1School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. r.bryant@unsw.edu.au
Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience
|October 29, 2011
Summary
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently co-occur. Mild TBI may increase PTSD risk, with stress reactions, not just neurological insult, potentially causing symptoms, suggesting new treatment avenues.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) often coexist due to the nature of traumatic events.
- Significant overlap exists in symptoms and diagnostic challenges between PTSD and TBI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review the overlap between PTSD and TBI.
- To examine the impact of TBI on PTSD development and risk.
- To explore novel treatment implications for TBI-related symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on overlapping symptoms of PTSD and TBI.
- Analysis of evidence regarding TBI's impact on PTSD risk.
- Examination of recent findings on the etiology of postconcussive symptoms.
Main Results:
- Mild TBI is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for developing PTSD.
- Evidence suggests stress reactions post-TBI contribute significantly to impairment, challenging purely neurological explanations.
- This points towards stress management as a key treatment component.
Conclusions:
- The relationship between TBI and PTSD is complex, with TBI potentially exacerbating PTSD.
- Postconcussive symptoms may be largely stress-mediated, offering new therapeutic targets.
- Treating stress factors after TBI could be crucial for managing its effects.
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