Neurodegenerative decline following a mild traumatic brain injury: a case report

A growing body of research suggests that mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) increases the chance of developing neurodegenerative disease in adults. Elderly patients are of great concern due to an increased risk of head injury due to falls.

The patient was a 71-year-old White, non-Hispanic female who fell from a ladder and suffered an initially undiagnosed mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Seventeen months after injury, she was evaluated by a concussion specialist who retrospectively diagnosed mTBI. Subsequent neuropsychological evaluation resulted in a diagnosis of probable Lewy body dementia. The patient experienced rapid neurological decline and died thirty-three months after the initial fall.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and its persisting symptoms are frequently misdiagnosed, often leading to symptom-based overmedication and lack of appropriate targeted treatment. This highlights the need for advanced training for providers on mTBI and the potential for persisting symptoms associated with it. Providers also need to understand the risk of neurological decline following mTBI, especially in the elderly population. Clinicians should not rely exclusively on patient self-report for diagnosis and treatment of mTBI and should use a multidisciplinary approach. In addition, disparities in rural access to specialized care must be addressed to ensure equitable post-injury outcomes.