What You Should Know about Post-Inflammatory Brain Syndromes

Doctors have studied the effects of trauma on the human brain for years. There is an overall consensus that a forceful blow to the head could lead to different levels of damage, just as a skull puncture can. What frustrates many doctors is the wildly varied repercussions of seemingly small or minor accidents. That is what researchers at the Ontario-based McMaster University have been studying, and their findings – recently published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity – might help explain why some victims of minor head injuries suffer serious and long-lasting effects.

According to an article published on MedicalXpress.com, the effects of post-concussion syndrome – headaches, cognitive difficulties, changes in mood – have less to do with the force of the blow to the head, and are instead all connected by inflammation. The paper’s lead author, Michel Rathbone, suggests that instead of talking about post-concussion syndrome, a “complex disorder in which various symptoms… last for weeks and sometimes months after the injury that caused the concussion,” as defined by the Mayo Clinic, we should instead label these effects as post-inflammatory brain syndromes, or PIBS.

Professor Rathbone believes his team’s research offers “hope for individuals with cognitive dysfunction after major infections, surgeries and traumas, as it suggests that current and future treatments for concussion may hold a benefit for these individuals” as well.

Signs and symptoms of brain injuries

A person who has suffered a TBI might exhibit:

• Slurred speech or decreased motor skills
• Disorientation
• Severe headaches
• Nausea
• Blackouts or loss of consciousness
• Changes in personality
• Loss of memory

In some cases, the effects of a traumatic brain injury could be permanent, necessitating long-term medical treatments or rehab services, or changing a family’s entire lifestyle.

If you or a family member has suffered a traumatic brain injury, or is exhibiting signs of PIBS, it is important to seek medical attention right away. If the injury was the result of someone else’s negligence, Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A. may be able to help. Please contact our Maryland firm to learn more about our personal injury services.

Learn more from our Maryland brain injury lawyers

Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Concussion