title: The postconcussion syndrome after mild head trauma: is brain damage overdiagnosed? Part 1.
abstract: Many investigators attribute the postconcussion syndrome following mild closed head injury to permanent brain damage. The evidence supporting this conclusion is reviewed, including the force necessary to cause permanent brain damage; the basis for determining whether the patient was exposed to sufficient force in the accident to permanently damage the brain; the basis for determining whether the patient actually has permanent brain damage (not just brain dysfunction) traceable to the accident; and whether the location and severity of brain damage is sufficient to account for the postconcussion syndrome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the evidence for permanent traumatic brain damage as the cause of the postconcussion syndrome following mild closed head injury is weak.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, USA. lsmarg@erols.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Margulies
mesh_terms: D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D020208:Brain Injury, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D020833:Diffuse Axonal Injury / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans