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Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults: Early Cognitive Outcome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2014

Glynda J. Kinsella ,
John Olver ,
Ben Ong ,
Russell Gruen  and
Eleanor Hammersley
Glynda J. Kinsella*
Affiliation:
Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia Psychology Department, Caulfield Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
John Olver
Affiliation:
Rehabilitation & Psychiatry, Epworth Healthcare, Melbourne, Australia Faculty of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Ben Ong
Affiliation:
Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
Russell Gruen
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia National Trauma Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia Department of Surgery, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
Eleanor Hammersley
Affiliation:
Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Glynda Kinsella, Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086. Australia. E-mail: g.kinsella@latrobe.edu.au
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Abstract

Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in older age is associated with high rates of mortality. However, little is known about outcome following mild TBI (mTBI) in older age. We report on a prospective cohort study investigating 3 month outcome in older age patients admitted to hospital-based trauma services. First, 50 mTBI older age patients and 58 orthopedic controls were compared to 123 community control participants to evaluate predisposition and general trauma effects on cognition. Specific brain injury effects were subsequently evaluated by comparing the orthopedic control and mTBI groups. Both trauma groups had significantly lower performances than the community group on prospective memory (d=0.82 to 1.18), attention set-shifting (d=−0.61 to −0.69), and physical quality of life measures (d=0.67 to 0.84). However, there was only a small to moderate but non-significant difference in the orthopedic control and mTBI group performances on the most demanding task of prospective memory (d=0.37). These findings indicate that, at 3 months following mTBI, older adults are at risk of poor cognitive performance but this is substantially accounted for by predisposition to injury or general multi-system trauma. (JINS, 2014, 20, 1–9)

Keywords

Traumatic injuryMild head injuryOlder ageOrthopedic injuryProspective memoryCognitionNeuropsychological outcome
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 20 , Issue 6 , July 2014 , pp. 663 - 671
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2014 

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