“Depressive Disorder” Can Be A Risk Factor in Brain Injury

This blog has often focused on the health hazards arising from a brain injury. Two players in Last night’s hotly contested NBA playoff game between the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics left the game with concussions.

On an everyday basis, however, this kind of injury usually occurs after a car wreck or in a slip-and-fall accident.  Even a mild (so-called) concussion can leave the victim dizzy, and with short-term memory issues, and headaches. And severe brain trauma can be disastrous: it can necessitate extensive and expensive medical treatment, sometimes including 24-hour care. To make matters worse, physical and cognitive challenges may also be accompanied by bouts with depression.

In a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers at a Seattle Hospital found that of about 600 patients with mild to severe traumatic brain injury, half of them suffered from “major depressive disorder” within one year of their injury. This is apparently eight times higher than the rate of depression among the general public. The study also found that only about 44 percent of those patients received separate mental health treatment for depression. The data also indicated that the patient group had a lower quality of life as compared to the non-depressed cohort.

If you are interested in learning more about brain injuries, you should consider becoming a member of the Brain Injury Association of Indiana.  You can contact the organization at http://www.biausa.org/Indiana/.

If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident involving a blow to the head, see your doctor immediately, and follow the medical advice given. If the condition was the result of an injury caused by the negligence of someone else, legal representation is also important. Contact the experienced Indiana personal injury lawyers at Young & Young in Indianapolis for a private, confidential, and free consultation.