Endocrine Disturbances Following TBI

Abstract

TBI-related neuroendocrine abnormalities can occur across all injury severity levels as the result of compression, swelling, necrosis, hemorrhage, lacerations, strain, shear, or vascular damage to hypothalamic-pituitary brain structures. The prevalence of TBI-related hormonal dysfunction may be as high as 40%. Almost without exception, civilian researchers agree that there is a need to screen TBI patients for neuroendocrine abnormalities in the acute, post-acute, or recovery phases of TBI. In the military setting, there is a need to better understand how comorbidities such as PTSD might interact with TBI-related hormonal dysfunction and to distinguish the endocrine effects of mild TBI in particular. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)