Occupational and environmental medicine
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Military personnel are at increased risk for traumatic brain injury (TBI) from combat and non-combat exposures. Sequelae of moderate-to-severe TBI are well described, but the literature remains conflicted regarding whether mild TBI (mTBI) results in lasting brain injury and functional impairments. This study assessed risk for a range of neuropsychiatric disorders presenting after mTBI while adjusting for the potential confounds of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). ⋯ mTBI was positively associated with neuropsychiatric disorders in this population of primarily young adult males; with increased HRs 6 months post-mTBI. The results support that mTBI is distinguished from moderate-to-severe TBI in terms of risk for developing neuropsychiatric disorders. Further, these findings suggest the importance of screening for psychiatric and cognitive disorders post-mTBI in general medical practice.