Alexithymia after traumatic brain injury: its relation to magnetic resonance imaging findings and psychiatric disorders.
OBJECTIVE
People with traumatic brain injury (TBI) were studied to assess the prevalence of alexithymia and its relationship to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and psychiatric disorders.


METHODS
Fifty-four participants, 67% men, were evaluated after a median of 30 years since TBI. A control group was matched for age, gender, and severity of depression. Alexithymia was measured with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). In patients with TBI, axis I psychiatric disorders were assessed with the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN, version 2.1), and axis II disorders with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Personality Disorders (SCID-II). MRI examinations were carried out with a 1.5 T MRI scanner.


RESULTS
Alexithymia was significantly more common in patients with TBI than in controls (31.5% versus 14.8%; odds ratio 2.64, 95% confidence interval 1.03-6.80). None of the variables representing TBI, ie, severity of TBI or the presence, laterality, or location of contusions on MRI, was associated with the TAS-20 total scores. Several current axis I and II psychiatric disorders, particularly organic personality syndrome, were connected to higher TAS-20 scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Alexithymia is common, along with psychiatric disorders, in patients with TBI. Both of them may reflect dysfunction of the injured brain. In clinical practice, alexithymic features should be taken into consideration in psychosocial rehabilitation after TBI.
Koponen
Salla
S
Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. salla.koponen@utu.fi
Taiminen
Tero
T
Honkalampi
Kirsi
K
Joukamaa
Matti
M
Viinamäki
Heimo
H
Kurki
Timo
T
Portin
Raija
R
Himanen
Leena
L
Isoniemi
Heli
H
Hinkka
Susanna
S
Tenovuo
Olli
O
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index