Cognitive Abilities and Psychological Health after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Every year, there are many people who suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI). They are at high risk for depression, psychological disorder and cognitive disabilities. But both patients and their families and medical teams pay more attention to their physical problems. So, the goal of this study was to assess cognitive abilities and psychosocial health of TBI persons.METHODS: This longitudinal cohort study was performed on 91 patients (18-60 years) with TBI who were hospitalized at Hefdah Sharivar hospital, Amol, Iran. They were followed up 6 and 12 months after trauma. General health, depression and cognitive abilities measured with GHQ28 (General Health Questionnaire 28), BDI (Beck Depression Inventory) and MMSE (Mini Mental Status Examination) questionnaires, and were evaluated based on severity of brain injury (GCS).FINDINGS: Mean age of the patients was 32.40±12.08 years and more patients (n=79, 86.8%) were male. Nineteen (20.9%) of them were experienced severe TBI (GCS=3-8). Sixty seven patients (73.6%) after 6 months and 61patients (67%) after 12 months were suspected to psychological disorder (cut of point =24). Only 26 (28.6%) and 29 (31.9%) of patients 6 and 12 months after injury were normal range of BDI. Correlation between severity of TBI and cognitive abilities depression and psychological health were statistically significant (p<0.05). But demographic factors did not have effective on them (p<0.05).CONCLUSION: The findings showed that impairment in mental health and cognitive ability in patients with traumatic brain injury. But it seems that there are discovered patients psychological disorders before 12 months. So, TBI persons and their carers may need professional assistance, early treatment and rehabilitation for maintaining a reasonable psychosocial quality of life.

Keywords

• head trauma
• brain injury
• psychological health
• depression
• cognitive ability