Dual Diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury and Alcohol Use Disorder: Characterizing Clinical and Neurobiological Underpinnings

Abstract

Recent evidence indicates that TBI can increase the risk of developing AUD. TBI and AUD share common symptoms including cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, it is of interest to better understand how reward-mediated behaviors central to alcohol addiction, such as alcohol craving, may interact with the cognitive dysfunction of TBI both at the behavioral and neurobiological level. We also present a preliminary case series as an illustration of how neural activation to alcohol cues may provide insight into the unique brain state of co-occurring mild TBI and AUD. Treatment implications for TBI and AUD and their co-occurrence are also discussed.