Personal Injury Law

Fatigue Following Brain Injuries

By Bruce Stern

For the readers of my blog, those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury and those involved in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, the issue of fatigue following traumatic brain injury is not a new topic. 

I was pleased to read in this month’s issue of The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation that the entire issue, edited by Wayne A. Gordan, Ph.D. was devoted to “fatigue after traumatic brain injury”.  As Dr. Gordan acknowledges in his preface to this issue “The fact that three TBI model systems have focused their research efforts on post-TBI fatigue suggests the extent to which fatigue is a significant challenge confronting many individuals with TBI.  Indeed, 50%-75% of individuals with TBI report fatigue and more than half of those with fatigue rated as their worst symptom.”

This issue includes six articles which come out of research completed by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and Craig Hospital, three of the traumatic brain injury model systems and was funded by the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation.  Issues such as the measurement of post-traumatic fatigue, the frequency of post-TBI fatigue and the impact of post-TBI fatigue on cognition, participation and the treatment of post-TBI fatigue are examined in these six articles. 

I strongly recommend anyone looking to learn and understand more about fatigue following traumatic brain injury should pick up this issue and read it cover to cover.

Full post as published by Traumatic Brain Injury Law Blog on February 12, 2008 (boomark / email).