Recommendations for the revision of DSM-IV diagnostic categories for co-morbid posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury

Abstract

The definitions in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-4th Ed.-TR [5] relating to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) after mechanical accidents do not reflect the range of dysfunctions, the significance of patient differences, and fluctuating intensity, direction, and symptoms with increasing time since an injury. The considerable overlapping of symptoms is not considered at all, nor is concussion given a diagnosis. Some anatomical and physiological considerations for these frequently comorbid conditions are specified to increase diagnostic precision, or call attention to unavoidable ambiguities. The current definitions lead to diagnostic error since there are many that are based upon symptoms that are not trauma related although they resemble those of TBI. A Taxonomy of Neurobehavioral Disorders draws attention to a wide range of physiological and behavioral functions, with implications for more accurate recognition of symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Persistent posttraumatic disorders, more complex than PTSD, exist, due to the effects of unhealed tissues, impairment, and the social consequences of impairment and rejection. There are recommendations for the improvement of the definitions of PTSD and traumatic brain injury when both may be co-morbid after a mechanical injury.