Findings of mild traumatic brain injury in combat veterans with PTSD and a history of blast concussion.
Veterans with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder were evaluated for a history of blast concussion, controlling for confounding conditions. Electroencephalograms were analyzed by discriminant function for traumatic brain injury. A difference was found in discriminant scores between veterans with and without blast concussion. More members of the blast group had attentional symptoms and attentional dysfunction. Combat veterans with a remote history of blast injury have persistent electroencephalographic features of traumatic brain injury as well as attentional problems. The authors hypothesize that these constitute a type of chronic postconcussive syndrome that has cognitive and mood symptoms overlapping those of posttraumatic stress disorder.
Department of Psychiatry, Minneapolis Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, MN 55417, USA. trude003@maroon.tc.umn.edu
D L
DL
Trudeau
J
J
Anderson
L M
LM
Hansen
D N
DN
Shagalov
J
J
Schmoller
S
S
Nugent
S
S
Barton
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*