Outcome after traumatic brain injury sustained in older adulthood: a one-year longitudinal study.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to explore the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on cognition and functioning in older adults in a one-year longitudinal study.


METHODS
Participants with mild-to-moderate TBI were compared with an age-, gender-, and education-matched healthy comparison group on aspects of cognition. Neuropsychologic tests were administered at one year. Self-reported measures of functioning were completed at baseline, six months, and one year. Informants rated instrumental functioning at one year.


RESULTS
Sixty-nine subjects aged 50 years and over (mean: 67 years; standard deviation: 7.9) and a comparison group of 79 participants were assessed. Patients with TBI had poorer processing speed, verbal memory, language, and executive function; they self-reported more psychologic distress, psychosocial dysfunction, and postconcussive symptoms; and they were rated as more impaired in functioning than the comparison group. TBI of moderate severity accounted for most of the between-group differences.


CONCLUSIONS
TBI, particularly of moderate severity, led to poorer cognitive and psychosocial functioning one year postinjury among older adults. The clinical significance of this may become more evident with time in this vulnerable population.
Rapoport
Mark J
MJ
Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Herrmann
Nathan
N
Shammi
Prathiba
P
Kiss
Alex
A
Phillips
Andrea
A
Feinstein
Anthony
A