The Effects of Repetitive Head Impact Exposure on Mental Health Symptoms Following Traumatic Brain Injury.
Nicola L de Souza, Jennifer Bogner, John D Corrigan and 4 others
PMID 38483265WHAT IT FOUND
Repetitive head impacts occurring after a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury were linked to higher depression and anxiety scores five years later.
Impacts that happened before the index injury were not associated with these mental health outcomes.
Key findings
01Repetitive head impacts occurring after the index traumatic brain injury were associated with greater depression symptoms at five years compared to impacts occurring before the injury.
02Repetitive head impacts occurring after the index traumatic brain injury were associated with higher anxiety symptoms at five years compared to impacts occurring before the injury.
03The specific category of repetitive head impact exposure, such as sports or violence, did not predict depression or anxiety symptoms at five years.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study lacked a comparison group of individuals without repetitive head impact exposure, so it cannot determine if repetitive head impacts cause worse mental health than no impacts. The sample consisted only of individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries who required inpatient rehabilitation, so findings may not apply to those with mild traumatic brain injuries. The data collection format did not allow for the identification of individuals who explicitly denied repetitive head impact exposure. The study design is cross-sectional regarding the exposure timing and outcome, meaning it cannot definitively prove that post-injury impacts caused the mental health symptoms rather than the symptoms leading to the impacts.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the association between post-injury repetitive head impacts and mental health symptoms as proof that the impacts caused the symptoms. The study design cannot rule out that individuals with worse mental health were more likely to experience repetitive head impacts after their injury.