POST-CONCUSSIVE SYMPTOMS - BASE RATES AND ETIOLOGY IN PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS

This study was intended to provide a normative comparison base for estimating the rates of neuropsychological symptoms in psychiatric patients. Four hundred individuals seeking psychotherapy were administered a checklist composed of symptoms reported to be common in the post-concussional syndrome (PCS). Of the entire sample, 9% of the patients reported a recent history of bumping their head (BUMP), 3.5% reported being knocked out (LOC), and 9% were involved in a lawsuit (LITS). Many, but not all of the PCS symptoms were as common among the BUMP and LITS groups as the LOC group. There are suggestions that some PCS symptoms are related to head trauma while others reflect situational variables or general psychological distress.