title: Cognitive and behavioral sequelae of closed head injury in older adults according to their significant others.
abstract: This study examined the neurobehavioral effects of closed head injury (CHI) in older adults according to their significant others. Informants of 17 mild and moderate CHI patients > or = 50 years old when injured completed the Geriatric Evaluation of Relative's Rating Instrument, a questionnaire inquiring about the patient's cognition, affect, interpersonal relations, and daily activities. The significant others provided retrospective ratings of preinjury functioning and completed the same instrument an average of 4 and 13 months post-injury. The significant others of 10 community-residing, normal control subjects completed the questionnaire at comparable intervals between each rating. Compared with their preinjury functioning, and unlike the control subjects, patients showed declines in cognition and mood. The possible impact of these changes, including their effect on subjective burden in caregivers, is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Kalechstein
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kenehan-Altonen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D016489:Head Injuries, Closed / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019954:Neurobehavioral Manifestations; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D012938:Social Perception