Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been proposed as a sensitive biomarker of traumatic white matter injury, which could potentially serve as a tool for prognostic assessment and for studying microstructural changes during recovery from traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, there is a lack of longitudinal studies on TBI that follow DTI changes over time and correlate findings with long-term clinical outcome. We performed a prospective longitudinal study of 30 adult patients admitted for subacute rehabilitation following severe traumatic brain injury. DTI and conventional MRI were acquired at mean 8 weeks (5-11 weeks), and repeated in 23 of the patients at mean 12 months (9-15 months) post-trauma. Using a region-of-interest-based approach, DTI parameters were compared to those of healthy matched controls, scanned during the same time period and rescanned with a similar interval as that of patients. At the initial scan, fractional anisotropy was reduced in all the investigated white matter regions in patients compared to controls (P

Objectives-To determine the rates of suicide among patients who have had a traumatic brain injury. Methods-From a Danish population register of admissions to hospital covering the years 1979-93 patients were selected who had had either a concussion (n=126 114), a cranial fracture (n=7560), or a cerebral contusion or traumatic intracranial haemorrhage (n=11 766). All cases of deaths by the end of the study period were identified. Results-In the three diagnostic groups there had been 750 (0.59%), 46 (0.61%), and 99 (0.84%) cases of suicide respectively. Standardised mortality ratios, stratified by sex and age, showed that the incidence of suicide among the three diagnostic groups was increased relative to the general population (3.0, 2.7, and 4.1 respectively). In all diagnosis groups the ratios were higher for females than for males, and lower for patients injured before the age of 21 or after the age of 60. The presence of a codiagnosis relating to substance misuse was associated with increased suicide rates in all diagnosis groups. There was a tendency, among patients with cerebral contusions or traumatic intracranial haemorrhages, for suicide risk to increase with duration of stay in hospital. Cox regression analyses for proportional hazards confirmed that there was a significantly greater risk of suicide among patients with cerebral contusions or traumatic intracranial haemorrhages than among patients with concussion or cranial fractures (hazard ratios=1.42 and 1.50 respectively). There was, however, no evidence of a specific risk period for suicide after injury. Conclusion-The increased risk of suicide among patients who had a mild traumatic brain injury may result from concomitant risk factors such as psychiatric conditions and psychosocial disadvantage. The greater risk among the more serious cases implicates additionally the physical, psychological, and social consequences of the injuries as directly contributing to the suicides. (J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2001;71:436-440)

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Out of 389 survivors randomly chosen from a national complete hospital register, 173 had suffered a cranial fracture, 186 a cerebral lesion (brain contusion or traumatic haemorrhage) and 30 patients a chronic subdural haematoma. Out of 337 survivors found eligible for a questionnaire, 76% responded. Among the data registered according to the above mentioned areas, the main findings were that 23-31% of the cerebral lesion responders were unable to maintain earlier work/education at pre-injury level, against up to 14% of cranial fracture patients. Significantly more cerebral lesion patients than cranial fracture patients found emotional control more difficult, as well as increased difficulties with memory and concentration, maintenance of leisure time interests and general life satisfaction. In the long run, an important factor influencing survival among cerebral lesion patients seemed to be whether relations with family and friends could be maintained at the pre-injury level.