Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis 18000, Serbia.
Center for Mental Health, University Clinical Center, Nis 18000, Serbia.
Medicina (Kaunas). 2023 Aug 16;59(8):1467. doi: 10.3390/medicina59081467.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder that often occurs following war trauma. Despite its high prevalence, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the mechanisms underlying its progression and treatment resistance. Recent research has shed light on the biological basis of PTSD, with neuroimaging studies revealing altered brain connectivity patterns in affected individuals. In war contexts, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common occurrence and is associated with a high prevalence of PTSD. This study aimed to compare the severity of PTSD and depression in patients with and without a history of TBI to shed light on the impact of comorbid TBI on the presentation of PTSD symptoms. To achieve this goal, a cross-sectional study was conducted involving a sample of 60 outpatients who were diagnosed with both PTSD and Depressive Disorder. The inclusion criteria required participants to meet the diagnostic criteria for both disorders using validated tools. The severities of PTSD and depressive symptoms were assessed using scales that have been widely used and validated in previous research. By utilizing these standardized assessment tools, this study aimed to ensure the reliability and validity of the obtained data. The results of this study revealed that patients with comorbid PTSD and TBI exhibited a significantly higher severity of PTSD symptoms compared to those with PTSD only. Specifically, the comorbid group demonstrated higher ratings of symptom intensity across all symptom clusters. These findings are consistent with previous research that has highlighted the impact of comorbid TBI on the intensity and persistence of PTSD symptoms. When controlling for PTSD severity, no significant differences were observed in the severity of depressive symptoms between the two groups. This suggests that the increased depressive symptoms observed in the comorbid group may be primarily driven by the presence of more intense PTSD symptoms rather than TBI per se. The findings highlight the need for an accurate diagnosis of TBI in individuals with PTSD to guide appropriate treatment interventions. Further research is warranted to delve into the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the interaction between TBI and PTSD and to develop targeted interventions for individuals with comorbid PTSD and TBI.
创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）是一种常见的精神疾病，通常发生在经历战争创伤后。尽管 PTSD 的发病率很高，但对于其进展和治疗抵抗的机制仍缺乏全面的理解。最近的研究揭示了 PTSD 的生物学基础，神经影像学研究显示，受影响个体的大脑连接模式发生了改变。在战争环境中，创伤性脑损伤（TBI）是一种常见现象，与 PTSD 的高发病率有关。本研究旨在比较有和无 TBI 病史的 PTSD 和抑郁患者的严重程度，以了解 TBI 共病对 PTSD 症状表现的影响。为了实现这一目标，进行了一项横断面研究，纳入了 60 名同时被诊断为 PTSD 和抑郁障碍的门诊患者。纳入标准要求参与者使用经过验证的工具符合两种疾病的诊断标准。使用在以前的研究中广泛使用和验证的量表评估 PTSD 和抑郁症状的严重程度。通过使用这些标准化评估工具，本研究旨在确保获得数据的可靠性和有效性。这项研究的结果表明，同时患有 PTSD 和 TBI 的患者的 PTSD 症状严重程度明显高于仅患有 PTSD 的患者。具体来说，共病组在所有症状集群中表现出更高的症状强度评分。这些发现与先前的研究一致，这些研究强调了 TBI 共病对 PTSD 症状的强度和持续时间的影响。在控制 PTSD 严重程度后，两组之间抑郁症状的严重程度没有观察到显著差异。这表明共病组中观察到的抑郁症状增加主要是由更强烈的 PTSD 症状驱动，而不是 TBI 本身。研究结果强调了在 PTSD 患者中准确诊断 TBI 的必要性，以指导适当的治疗干预措施。需要进一步研究深入探讨导致 TBI 和 PTSD 相互作用的潜在机制，并为患有 PTSD 和 TBI 共病的个体开发针对性的干预措施。
