A new study led by Dr. Gabriela Ilie, a post-doctoral fellow at Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital, has found a “significant association” between adults who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) at some point in their lives and who also have attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). The study, which was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, adds credence to recent research showing a similar association in children.
“This is not surprising, because some of the most persistent consequences of TBI include ADHD-like symptoms, such as memory and attention impairment, deficits in executive functions such as planning and organization, processing consonants and vowels and impulsive behaviour,” Dr. Ilie said in a St. Michael’s news release.
The data used in the study was collected by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Monitor, a continuous, cross-sectional telephone survey of nearly 4,000 Ontario residents older than 18. The study classified a traumatic brain injury as “any injury to the head that resulted in loss of consciousness for at least five minutes or overnight hospitalization.” Instances of ADHD were measured by either self-reported diagnosis or the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale.
Just under 6 per cent of the surveyed adults who had suffered a traumatic brain injury reported having been diagnosed with ADHD during their lifetime, while a further 6.6 per cent screened positive for ADHD when the self-report scale was issued during the survey.
“These new data suggest a significant association between ADHD and TBI,” said Dr. Robert Mann, a senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and co-principal investigator for the study. “We see that adults with TBI are more than twice as likely than those without to report symptoms of ADHD.”
The results of the study expand on previous findings linking TBI with addiction issues, mental health problems, depression, substance abuse, and even road rage.
Another study published this month, “Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury and Attention Deficit,” examined 113 children between the ages of 6 and 13 who had suffered from traumatic brain injuries of various severities, and another group of 53 children who experienced a non-head-related trauma. Parents and teachers were asked to report on the attention and other health indicators of the children about 18 months after the injuries. According to the Washington Post, “they found that those with TBI had more lapses in attention and other issues, such as anxiety, a tendency to internalize their problems and slower processing speed.”
Traumatic brain injuries can occur at any time, and can result in a wide range of symptoms which can be difficult to diagnose, particularly in children. Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers has worked in personal injury law for more than 45 years, and can help determine whether you are eligible for accident or disability benefits, in addition to potential remuneration.
If you or a family member has been involved in an accident and are now coping with a traumatic brain injury, contact Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers today. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer, call us toll-free at 1-866-920-4242, or fill out an online consultation request here.
Greg Neinstein
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