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Domestic Violence’s Overlooked Damage: Concussion And Brain Injury Hundreds of survivors of domestic violence have come through the doors of neurologist Glynnis Zieman’s Phoenix clinic in the past three years. “The domestic violence patients are the next chapter of brain injury,” she said. Zieman begins every new patient visit with a simple question: “What are the symptoms you hope I can help you with?” For most, it’s the first time anyone has ever asked how they may have been injured in the first place. “I actually heard one patient tell me the only person who ever asked her if someone did this to her was a paramedic, as she was being wheeled into an ambulance,” Zieman said. “And
the husband was at the foot of her stretcher.” While many patients initially seek out the clinic because of physical symptoms, such as headaches, exhaustion, dizziness or problems sleeping, Zieman’s research shows that anxiety, depression and PTSD usually end up being the most severe problems, she said. Studies of traumatic brain injury have revealed links to dementia and memory loss in veterans and athletes. And TBI has also been linked to PTSD in current or former service members. But survivors of domestic violence may be suffering
largely in silence. About 70 percent of people seen in the emergency room for such abuse are never identified as survivors of domestic violence. It’s a health crisis cloaked in secrecy and shame, one that Zieman is uncovering through her work at the Barrow Concussion and Brain Injury Center. She runs what she said is the first program dedicated to treating traumatic brain injury for survivors of domestic violence. “About 81 percent of our patients had so many hits to the head, they lost count, which, you compare that to athletes, is
astronomical,” Zieman said. Zieman said it’s not just the sheer number of injuries that makes these patients’ cases so complex. “One single athletic concussion is hard enough to treat, but these patients are beyond that,” she said. “Unlike athletes, they do not have the luxury, if you will, of recovering after an injury before they are injured again.” Domestic violence is estimated to affect more than 10 million people each year. Head and neck injuries are some of the most common issues, and Zieman is uncovering how frequently traumatic brain injury is part of the picture…..Read More
Link between depression and cognitive decline explored A new study, published in the journal Psychological Medicine, reports a link between depression and accelerated aging of the brain. Its authors suggest their findings may help to inform future dementia research. Depression can affect anyone at any stage of their life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 6 people in the United States will experience depression at some point in their life. Scientists do not know the exact cause of depression, but many believe it is a combination of psychological, genetic, biological, and environmental factors. Certain risk factors are already known; for instance, having relatives who have had depression, experiencing traumatic events, going through a major life change, and using alcohol or drugs. Depression and dementia Previously, scientists have
identified an association between depression and an increased risk of dementia later in life. A 2015 study published in JAMA Psychiatry, for example, found that people with depression had an 83 percent increased risk of acquiring dementia compared with people who did not have depression. The same study also found that people who had depression and type 2 diabetes were at even higher risk of developing dementia, with a 117 percent increased risk compared with people who had neither condition. A linked commentary to the 2015 study said that, while scientists at this stage do not yet know whether treatment of depression may offer protection against cognitive decline and onset of dementia, the "hypothesis is plausible." The new study — conducted
by psychologists at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom — is the first to provide substantial evidence of the relationship between depression and impairment of overall cognitive function in the general population. The researchers conducted a systematic review of 34 longitudinal studies (long-term observational studies) that had investigated links between depression or anxiety and cognitive decline. This included assessing data from 71,000 participants. To get a clearer picture of how depression might influence the aging brain, the authors excluded any participants who were diagnosed with dementia at the start of the study. The team concluded that people who had experienced depression had more extensive cognitive decline later in life
than people who had not experienced depression. What does this mean for patients? The researchers believe that these findings could have implications for dementia research, and that they may help provide clues to potential early interventions. "This study is of great importance — our populations are aging at a rapid rate, and the number of people living with decreasing cognitive abilities and dementia is expected to grow substantially over the next 30 years." Co-lead study author Darya Gaysina Gaysina continues, "We need to protect the mental well-being of our older adults and to provide robust support services to those experiencing depression and anxiety in order to safeguard brain function in later life….Read More
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