Psychotic disorder following traumatic brain injury: A conceptual framework

Abstract

We propose that psychosis results from damage to the frontal and temporal areas and dysregulation of the dopaminergic system. Everyone is vulnerable to a psychotic disorder and psychosis will result when a threshold of damage to these areas are attained. Traumatic brain injury can be the primary cause of psychosis or contribute to the development of a psychosis through secondary seizure disorder, increasing biological and psychological risk, and triggering psychosis in vulnerable patients. The relationship may also be coincidental. Traumatic brain injury triggers pathophysiological processes that generally result in a psychosis after a delay of 1-5 years. Directions for future research includes prospective studies examining the impact of TBI on developing psychosis, retrospective studies examining TBI as a risk factor in schizophrenia or other populations at risk for secondary psychosis, and studies examining prevention of psychotic illness.