In addition, "those whose head trauma was followed by depression reported significantly more pain, greater mobility problems, and more difficulty carrying out their usual responsibilities than those who were not plagued by post-injury depression."

HealthDay (5/18, Gardner) reported, "In this study of 559 patients with traumatic brain injury, more than half (53.1 percent)...endured major depressive disorder at some point during the study follow-up." Notably, "in terms of risk factors, patients with major depression at the time of their injury or before their injury, as well as those who were younger and those who reported alcohol dependence, were most likely to suffer depression after head trauma." In addition, "those who were diagnosed with major depression were...more likely to have anxiety disorders, the researchers found."

Reuters (5/19, Lowe) reports that the study suggested that depression following TBI "is an invisible disorder within an often invisible injury," and its authors called for "aggressive efforts" to detect and treat patients suffering from the disorder.

Related Links:

- Traumatic brain injuries linked to depression," Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times, May 19, 2010.

- Major Depression Often Follows Brain Injury," Amanda Gardner, HealthDay, May 18, 2010.

- Major depression common after brain injury: study," Rachael Myers Lowe, Reuters, May 18, 2010.