Site maintenance Wednesday, November 13th, 2024. Please note that access to some content and account information will be unavailable on this date.
Skip to main content
Full access
Special Articles
Published Online: 14 November 2017

Traumatic Brain Injury and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Conceptual, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic Considerations in the Context of Co-Occurrence

Publication: The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

Abstract

The events leading to traumatic brain injury (TBI) are often psychologically traumatic (e.g., motor vehicle accidents) or occur within a broader context of psychological trauma, such as military combat or recurrent interpersonal violence. In such cases, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may develop and serve to complicate TBI recovery. Likewise, brain trauma may impede emotional resolution following psychological trauma exposure. This article addresses comorbid PTSD and TBI, including the epidemiology of PTSD following TBI; the clinical presentation of the comorbidity; potential mechanisms that complicate recovery from psychological trauma and TBI when they co-occur; and considerations for the clinical management of PTSD in the context of TBI, including implications for both psychosocial and psychopharmacological PTSD treatments. Although the authors address the full spectrum of TBI severity, because PTSD more commonly co-occurs with mild TBI, compared with moderate and severe TBI, the authors focus in particular on mild TBI.

Formats available

You can view the full content in the following formats:

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
Go to The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
Pages: 91 - 100
PubMed: 29132272

History

Received: 11 September 2017
Accepted: 13 September 2017
Published online: 14 November 2017
Published in print: Spring 2018

Keywords

  1. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
  2. Traumatic Brain Injury

Authors

Details

Jennifer J. Vasterling, Ph.D. [email protected]
From the Psychology Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston (JJV, SNJ); the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston (JJV, AR); the Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston (JJV, SNJ, AR); and the Psychiatry Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston (AR).
Shawna N. Jacob, Ph.D.
From the Psychology Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston (JJV, SNJ); the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston (JJV, AR); the Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston (JJV, SNJ, AR); and the Psychiatry Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston (AR).
Ann Rasmusson, M.D.
From the Psychology Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston (JJV, SNJ); the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston (JJV, AR); the Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston (JJV, SNJ, AR); and the Psychiatry Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston (AR).

Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. Vasterling; email: [email protected]

Competing Interests

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Export Citations

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu.

Format
Citation style
Style
Copy to clipboard

View Options

View options

PDF/EPUB

View PDF/EPUB

Full Text

View Full Text

Get Access

Login options

Already a subscriber? Access your subscription through your login credentials or your institution for full access to this article.

Personal login Institutional Login Open Athens login
Purchase Options

Purchase this article to access the full text.

PPV Articles - Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

PPV Articles - Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

Not a subscriber?

Subscribe Now / Learn More

PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5-TR® library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.

Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Share article link

Share