Health Discoveries in Brain Injury
Depression often experienced after traumatic brain injuries
April 25, 2011
A Vanderbilt University study has found that depression is experienced by nearly one-third of those who have a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
The researchers analyzed cases of TBI suffered by people in traffic accidents, falls, sports and assaults. Of the 1.2 million TBI cases treated annually in hospital emergency departments, they determined about 360,000 patients experience depression after the injury.
"Any patient who has a traumatic brain injury is at a real risk for developing depression, short and long term," said Dr. Oscar Guillamondegui, of the university medical center's trauma and surgical critical care division. "It doesn't matter where on the timeline that you check the patient population - six months, 12 months, two years, five years - the prevalence is always around 30 percent across the board."
Within the general population, the rate of depression is closer to 10 percent. While most are treated with antidepressants, there is little known about the safety of brain-injured people taking such medications, the neuroscience study concluded.
The neurorehabilitation program within the North Shore-LIJ Health System provides comprehensive rehabilitation services for those with disorders and injuries to the brain, including traumatic brain injuries.
The researchers analyzed cases of TBI suffered by people in traffic accidents, falls, sports and assaults. Of the 1.2 million TBI cases treated annually in hospital emergency departments, they determined about 360,000 patients experience depression after the injury.
"Any patient who has a traumatic brain injury is at a real risk for developing depression, short and long term," said Dr. Oscar Guillamondegui, of the university medical center's trauma and surgical critical care division. "It doesn't matter where on the timeline that you check the patient population - six months, 12 months, two years, five years - the prevalence is always around 30 percent across the board."
Within the general population, the rate of depression is closer to 10 percent. While most are treated with antidepressants, there is little known about the safety of brain-injured people taking such medications, the neuroscience study concluded.
The neurorehabilitation program within the North Shore-LIJ Health System provides comprehensive rehabilitation services for those with disorders and injuries to the brain, including traumatic brain injuries.