J Korean Neurosurg Soc.
1995 Apr;24(4):422-429.
A Psychometric Evaluation of Neurobehavioral Sequelae after Head Injury
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University Chonan Hospital, Chonan, Korea.
- 2Department of Psychiatry, Soonchunhyang University Chonan Hospital, Chonan, Korea.
Abstract
- We investigated neurobehavioural sequelae after head injury in consecutive 104 patients who were evaluated by psychometric examinations from 1990 to 1994. Organic brain syndrome(OBS), posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD), and others were observed in 55 patients(52.9%), 37 patients(35.6%), and 12 patients(11.5%), respectively. OBS was more common when the initial Glasgow Coma Score was low or when there was an intradural demage(p<0.025). OBS and PTSD did not differ significantly in age, sex, cause of injury, interval from injury to psychometric examination, skull fracture, cranial operation, or the Injury Severity Score. In OBS, the mean verbal Intellegence Quotient(IQ) was 91.3, performance IQ 77.8, total IQ 84.9 and memory quotient 70.7. In PTSD, it was 101.4, 100.1, 100.9 and 77.8, respectively. Performance IQ and total IQ of OBS and PTSD differed significantly, but verbal and memory quotient did not. In OBS, the mean verbal IQ of patients with right hemispheric damage was generally higher than that of patients with the left hemispheric damage, except in vocabulary and comprehension. But that of performance IQ was the reverse. In OBS, simplification, distortion, rotation, omit, impaired judgement, labile affect, impulsivity, depression, flatness, apathy, and bluntedness were commonly observed. While somatization, hostility, frustration, faking bad, and retarded manner were more frequently found in PTSD. The burden imposed on the family is primarily attributable to neurobehavioral sequelae rather than motor or sensory deficits. We should concerned about the adequate management of neurobehavioral sequelae as much as the proper treatment of head injury during the acute period.
