Do you worry that your child’s contact sport may result in a head injury?? Whether head injury causes lasting effects has long been an area of heated controversy, but new research out of the University of Copenhagen has just found startling results. According to Rodriguez (2014), this large scale study, conducted over 23 years, determined that individuals with head injury were subsequently more likely to suffer from cognitive symptoms (such as delirium) and to develop psychiatric illnesses. Specifically, risk increased by 65 percent for Schizophrenia and 59 percent for depression. Perhaps most alarmingly, the strongest predictor of these deficits was head injury incurred between the ages of 11 and 15. Though Rodriguez (2014) noted that there is currently no clear guidelines on how to reduce the risk of mental illness following a head injury, the best current recommendations include early detection and to follow post-injury guidelines. One way to assess the severity of and treatment recommendations for a head injury is to obtain a neuropsychological evaluation. Dr. Ermshar, Specialized Psychological Services routinely conducts neuropsychological evaluations to determine the extent and impact of head injuries and concussions as well as cognitive rehabilitation for the treatment of cognitive deficits. For more information, please see our website.
