Neuropsychiatric disturbances and hypopituitarism after traumatic brain injury in an elderly man.
Neuropsychiatric or cognitive disturbances are common complications after traumatic brain injury. They are commonly regarded as irreversible sequelae of organic brain injuries. We report a case of hypopituitarism in a 77-year-old man who presented with long-term neuropsychiatric disturbances, including cognitive impairment, disturbed sleep patterns, personality change, loss of affect, and visual and auditory hallucinations after a traumatic subdural hemorrhage. The treatment response to hormone replacement therapy was nearly complete. Hypopituitarism is rarely considered in patients who sustain traumatic brain injury and the neuropsychiatric manifestations of posttraumatic hypopituitarism have rarely been reported. This case highlights the importance of hypopituitarism as a potential reversible cause of neuropsychiatric disturbances after traumatic brain injury.
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Yi-Cheng
YC
Chang
Jui-Chang
JC
Tsai
Fen-Yu
FY
Tseng
D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D013974:Thyroxine