Cognitive Impairment and Neuropsychiatry Manifestation Following Mild and Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury at 3 Months and 6 Months

Aizzat Othman; Zamzuri Idris; Azmin Kass Rosman; Jafri Malin Abdullah; Abdul Rahman Izaini GhanI; Ahmad Zabidin Zakaria

doi:10.21315/mjms2022.29.5.6

Cognitive Impairment and Neuropsychiatry Manifestation Following Mild and Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury at 3 Months and 6 Months

Malays J Med Sci. 2022 Oct;29(5):48-58. doi: 10.21315/mjms2022.29.5.6. Epub 2022 Oct 28.

Authors

Aizzat Othman¹, Zamzuri Idris², Azmin Kass Rosman¹, Jafri Malin Abdullah^{2

3}, Abdul Rahman Izaini GhanI², Ahmad Zabidin Zakaria⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia.
² Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.
³ Brain and Behaviour Cluster, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract

Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) and neuropsychiatry manifestation (NM) are known complications among patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the clinical correlation between mild and moderate TBI with the above have not been extensively studied.

Methods: The patients (n = 54) were divided into mild and moderate TBI. Both groups were assessed at 3 months and 6 months post-trauma for the same measures. Diagnosis of CI was done using the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) questionnaire while NM screening was performed using the 12-items General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) followed by MINI International Neuropsychiatry Interview (MINI).

Results: We found five patients (19.2%) with mild TBI had CI and five patients (19.2%) had NM at 3 months. Only one patient (3.8%) persistently has CI at 6 months while the rest recovered. As for moderate TBI, 11 patients (39.3%) had CI and seven patients (25%) had NM at 3 months but none had persistent CI or NM at 6 months. Age (P < 0.05) and blood pressure were significant risks (P < 0.05) for CI and NM at 3 months.

Conclusion: This study highlighted the importance of screening following mild and moderate TBI at 3 months and 6 months. Early recognition facilitates effective rehabilitation programmes planning hence improve prognosis in the future.

Keywords: General Health Questionnaire-12; Montreal cognitive assessment; cognitive impairment; mild; moderate; neuropsychiatry manifestation; traumatic brain injury.