Longitudinal Trajectories of Post-Concussive Symptoms Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Clinical Psychology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) recovery is highly variable, necessitating personalized treatment strategies.
• Understanding diverse recovery pathways is crucial for effective TBI management and intervention development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To employ group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) for identifying distinct symptom recovery patterns after mild TBI.
• To analyze recovery trajectories within the initial six months post-mild TBI.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational cohort study (HeadSMART) included 253 adults with mild TBI.
• The Rivermead Postconcussion Symptom Questionnaire assessed symptoms at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months post-injury.
• Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was utilized to define longitudinal recovery patterns.

Main Results:

• Four distinct recovery trajectories were identified among mild TBI patients.
• 9% showed minimal symptoms decreasing over time; 45% had mild symptoms decreasing over time.
• 33% experienced higher acute symptoms that decreased; 13% had higher symptoms that increased over time.

Conclusions:

• Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) successfully identified four unique recovery patterns following mild TBI.
• GBTM can inform the development of targeted research interventions aimed at modifying TBI recovery trajectories.