ABSTRACT
Background: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a risk factor for epilepsy. Several studies have been conducted to estimate the incidence of epilepsy after TBI. Similarly cognitive impairment is a common consequence of TBI and a substantial source of disability. Aims: To study the incidence of epilepsy and cognitive impairment following TBI and correlate the findings with radiological abnormalities. Method: The study was conducted on 50 consecutive patients with TBI based on the assessment of clinical history for epilepsy and MMSE for cognitive impairment. Results: The incidence of epilepsy after TBI was found to be 40% in our study. It was increased to 50% among the individuals with radiological abnormality on CT scan brain following TBI. Cognitive impairment was found to be highest in individuals with frontal lobe injury (mean MMSE score – 24.13) followed by temporal lobe injury (mean MMSE score – 25.25) and parietal lobe injury (mean MMSE score 26.28). Individuals with no radiologically detectable injury had least cognitive impairment (mean MMSE score - 27.97) Moreover, cognitive impairment was more in individuals with higher number of days in hospital and greater psychological distress. Conclusion: Severity of TBI and presence of radiological abnormality influence new onset epilepsy after TBI. Similarly, injury to frontal lobe and higher number of days in hospital influence cognitive impairment after TBI.
ABSTRACT
Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been found to increase the incidence of psychiatric illness such as depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Aims: To study the incidence of Psychiatric illness in individuals with TBI and in those with orthopaedic injury without evidence of TBI and to correlate the psychiatric illness in TBI with radiological findings. Methods: The study adopted a two group comparison cross sectional methodology. The study group comprised of 50 adult patients with TBI and control group of 50 adult patients with orthopaedic injury without TBI. The tools used were Socio-demographic Sheet (SDS), Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI 6.0) Results: The overall incidence of psychiatric illness after TBI is significantly higher than those individuals with orthopaedic injury without TBI (22% vs. 8%). Also, presence of radiological abnormality in CT scan increases the incidence of psychiatric illness. Injury to right hemisphere, especially frontal lobe, increases the chances of major depression and injury to the left hemisphere, especially parietal lobe, increases the chances of generalised anxiety disorder. Conclusion: Presence of radiological abnormality and cerebral laterality were found to be associated with the development of psychiatric disorder after TBI.