Traumatic brain injury in older adults: do we need a different approach?

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been referred to as the ‘silent epidemic’. Luckily, with increasing media attention focused on military- and sports-related TBI, this is no longer the case. However, in the wake of this increased attention and accompanying infusion of federal and private research funding, there has emerged a new silent epidemic: TBI among older adults. Although, progress has been made in decreasing motor vehicle accident related TBI, the opposite trend is seen in older adults with fall-related TBI, who have rising numbers of emergency department visits, hospitalizations and death [1,2]. In fact, as of 2013, adults aged 75 years and older now have the highest incidence of TBI, exceeding incidence in infants [2]. In this editorial, we argue that TBI in older adults is a major public health concern and will require a targeted, age-appropriate approach to clinical care and research. We additionally discuss the challenges of, and potential solutions for, including this population in research.