title: Reported prevalence of unconsciousness from mechanical impact to the head in university populations during a fifteen-year period.
abstract: The prevalence of at least one episode of unconsciousness during childhood due to a mechanical impact to the skull was inferred by the response to one item embedded within a questionnaire of 140 items. 50% of the 633 university men and 33% of the 863 university women reported such unconsciousness; the prevalence did not change significantly between samples over a 15-yr. period. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the 10 items most strongly associated with the report of childhood unconsciousness did not explain more than about 10% of the variance. The majority of the items were those associated with complex partial epileptic-like signs and included (adult) episodes of memory blanks, mystical experiences, dissociation, and sudden meaningfulness.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuropsychology Laboratory, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Persinger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D017029:Epilepsy, Complex Partial / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data