title: Irritability following traumatic brain injury.
abstract: This study was undertaken to identify the clinical and pathoanatomical correlates of irritability in patients with closed head injuries. A consecutive series of 66 patients was assessed in hospital and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-month follow-ups. Patients fulfilling criteria for irritability were divided into 2 groups based on the immediate or delayed onset of their irritability and compared with patients without irritability for background characteristics, impairment variables, and lesion characteristics. There were 12 patients (18.2%) with acute onset irritability and 10 (15.1%) with delayed onset irritability. Acute onset irritability patients had a higher frequency of left cortical lesions. Delayed onset irritability patients showed a strong association with poor social functioning and greater impairment in activities of daily living. The findings suggest that post-brain injury irritability may have different causes and treatment in the acute and chronic stages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242, USA.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Manes
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kosier
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baruah
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012917:Social Adjustment