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Post-traumatic amnesia and the nature of post-traumatic stress disorder after mild traumatic brain injury

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2009

RICHARD A. BRYANT ,
MARK CREAMER ,
MEAGHAN O’DONNELL ,
DERRICK SILOVE ,
C. RICHARD CLARK  and
ALEXANDER C. MCFARLANE
RICHARD A. BRYANT*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
MARK CREAMER
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
MEAGHAN O’DONNELL
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
DERRICK SILOVE
Affiliation:
School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
C. RICHARD CLARK
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
ALEXANDER C. MCFARLANE
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
*
*Correspondence and reprint requests to: Richard A. Bryant, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, New South Wales 2052, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The prevalence and nature of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is controversial because of the apparent paradox of suffering PTSD with impaired memory for the traumatic event. In this study, 1167 survivors of traumatic injury (MTBI: 459, No TBI: 708) were assessed for PTSD symptoms and post-traumatic amnesia during hospitalization, and were subsequently assessed for PTSD 3 months later (N = 920). At the follow-up assessment, 90 (9.4%) patients met criteria for PTSD (MTBI: 50, 11.8%; No-TBI: 40, 7.5%); MTBI patients were more likely to develop PTSD than no-TBI patients, after controlling for injury severity (adjusted odds ratio: 1.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.78–2.94). Longer post-traumatic amnesia was associated with less severe intrusive memories at the acute assessment. These findings indicate that PTSD may be more likely following MTBI, however, longer post-traumatic amnesia appears to be protective against selected re-experiencing symptoms. (JINS, 2009, 15, 862–867.)

Keywords

TraumaMemoryStressRiskIntrusionsAnxiety
Type
Symposia
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 15 , Issue 6 , November 2009 , pp. 862 - 867
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2009

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