Depression Linked to Brain Injury

A new Canadian study suggests depression is a physical outcome of “minor” head injuries like concussion.

In the past, coaches and athletes have considered having your “bell rung” (a concussion) to be a relatively minor injury that athletes need to “shake off” before returning to the game. The sports medicine study was conducted to determine the effects of concussion on elite or professional athletes.

The National Post reported that:

Using sophisticated MRI scans that track cerebral function in real time, the research by the Montreal Neurological Institute focused on elite-level athletes. The results, though, have “huge” implications for the general population, given the large number of people who suffer mild head injury, says Dr. Alain Ptito of the McGill University institute, the study’s lead author

The Post reported that the study would have an impact on treating Canadian soldiers returning from Afghanistan.

However, I think the study will have a dramatic effect in helping personal injury lawyers who represent persons who have suffered head injuries.

The author of the report says:

The results could likely also be applied to the “epidemic” of Canadians who suffer mild head injuries in car accidents, workplace mishaps and the like, Dr. Ptito said.

In my practice representing victims of car accidents, I have had literally hundreds of clients who have suffered a concussion who subsequently develop disabling depression. In most cases, the insurance company hires a psychiatrist who prepares a report suggesting that the injured person’s depression is due to pre-existing psychological issues or stress.

At least now we have a tool to prove that depression is actually caused by a physical injury!

If you are looking for a Nova Scotia Brain Injury Lawyer you can contact me through this blog for a free copy of my book, The Survivors Guide to Brain Injury Claims: How to prove the invisible injury, or by calling me toll free at 1-877-423-2050.