Traumatic brain injury (TBI) 10?20 years later: a comprehensive outcome study of psychiatric symptomatology, cognitive abilities and psychosocial functioning

TLDR

The study aimed to assess the very long‑term mental and psychosocial outcomes of severe traumatic brain injury. Seventy‑six individuals with severe TBI were evaluated about 14 years after injury using standardized scales, neuropsychological tests, and family member reports across six domains: psychiatric symptoms, cognition, vocational status, family integration, social functioning, and daily independence. Long‑term follow‑up revealed that severe TBI leads to markedly impaired psychiatric, family, and social functioning, with high rates of depression, psychomotor slowness, loneliness, and caregiver burden, while cognitive, vocational, and independent functioning were only moderately affected, underscoring the need for ongoing professional support.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to measure the very long-term mental and psychosocial outcomes of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Seventy-six persons with severe TBI were evaluated extensively by means of standardized scales, neuropsychological tests and evaluations by family members, at an average of 14.1 (SD = 5.5) years post-injury. Six mental and functional domains were examined: psychiatric symptomatology, cognitive abilities, vocational status, family integration, social functioning, and independence in daily routines. The findings indicate a long-term differential effect of severe TBI, with seriously affected psychiatric symptomatology, family and social domains, as compared to moderately influenced cognitive, vocational and independent functioning. Relatively high rates of depression, psychomotor slowness, loneliness and family members' sense of burden were found. In addition to their epidemiological importance, the results indicate that persons with TBI and their families may need professional assistance to maintain a reasonable psychosocial quality of life, even more than a decade post-injury.