HEAD-INJURY AND COMBAT-RELATED POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER

Given the association of injury and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTS D), we examined whether head injury might be associated with increased frequency and severity of PTSD. Using a mail survey, we queried 143 m ale combat veterans with and without PTSD, who had previously particip ated in PTSD research in our laboratory, about their history of head i njury. Respondents with a PTSD diagnosis were significantly more likel y to report a history of head injury than those without. Patients with a history of head injury also reported more severe symptoms of PTSD c ompared with PTSD patients without head injury. The association of hea d injury and PTSD was not due to greater combat exposure in the head-i njured group. Head injury is associated with a greater likelihood of d eveloping combat-related PTSD and with more severe PTSD symptoms. This retrospective study did not address mechanisms that could account for this finding. The results indicate head injury should be systematical ly assessed by both nonpsychiatric and psychiatric physicians concerne d with the psychological sequelae of exposure to victimizing experienc es.