Neuropsychological sequelae of minor head injury

Seventy-one patients with minor head injury were given extensive neuropsychological evaluations 3 months after injury. A significant percentage of the patients demonstrated cognitive impairment, which seemed essentially unrelated to the length of unconsciousness or of posttraumatic amnesia. Impaired patients evidenced memory and visuospatial deficits. Cognitively impaired patients also had difficulty returning to work after injury. The psychological and cognitive impairment that follows minor head injury is discussed in relation to diagnostic and intervention issues.