Post-concussive symptoms can eventually turn into somatic, cognitive problems, or emotional distresses. The somatic problems could be headaches or fatigue. The cognitive issues could be trouble concentrating or difficulty remembering. The emotional distresses could be depression or frustration

Michigan State University

- Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS)
- PTSD
- Depression and anxiety
- Sleep disorders

Traumatic Brain Injury Mental Effects

U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2021, June 2). The association of post-concussion and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms with health-related quality of life, health care use and return-to-work after mild traumatic brain injury. Journal of clinical medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8199686/ 

The Association of Post-Concussion and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms with Health-Related Quality of Life 

Post Concussion Syndrome

It is not uncommon for patients with mTBI to suffer from symptoms of PTSD. The symptoms can be designated into four different groups. A clinical diagnosis of PTSD requires symptoms from all four groups to be present. This creates an overlap between PCS and PTSD symptoms in the hyperarousal symptom group, difficulty concentrating and sleeping. Studies are now showing that not there is not only an overlap between PTSD and PCS but possible an interaction. This relation can make both distresses worse.

PTSD due to TBI

Depression and anxiety can rise in patients recovering from a TBI. It is often due to loss of employment or social role due to the nature of the healing process. Patients with pre-existing risk factors for mental distresses are at a higher risk of developing symptoms. 

Depression and Anxiety due to TBI

Sleep disturbances effect around 30-70% of patients recovering from TBI. If different areas of the brain get bruised it can affect patients sleep differently. The same principle applies with different points of injury around the spine. Doctors treat the disturbances symptomatically. 

It is also a relatively undocumented area of TBI for a number of reasons. One of which being the growing number of unreported TBI and the other being that patients with TBI are rarely investigated for sleep disorders.

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