DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY FOLLOWING TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

The frequency, course, and clinical correlates Of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and its relationship to major depression were examined in 66 patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Of 66 TBI patients, 7 (11%) had both GAD and major depression; 10 (15%) had major depressi on without GAD. Median duration was 1.5 months for nonanxious depressi ons, 7.5 months for anxious depressions, and 1.5 months for concurrent GAD. Anxious depressions were also associated with right hemisphere l esions, whereas major depressions alone were associated with left ante rior lesions. These findings suggest that anxious major depression and major depression following TBI may be two different disorders with di fferent underlying etiological mechanisms and perhaps differential res ponse to treatment.