Self-awareness, depression and neurocognitive functions in patients with moderate and severe traumatic brain injury

Autoconciencia, depresión y funciones neurocognitivas en pacientes con traumatismo craneoencefálico moderado y grave

Abstract

Introduction: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the most common cause of disability in youngpatients. In the  self-awareness deficits that can arise after TBI, patients experience difficulties in understanding the disabilities resulting from their injury. This is an important problem that affects the rehabilitation processes. Materials and methods: Self-awareness, neurocognitive functions and depressive symptoms were observed in 31 outpatients with a diagnosis of moderate or severe TBI, aged between 16 and 45 years. Instruments: Patient Competency Rating Scale (PCRS), Neurocognitive Assessment and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Results: Correlations were found between self-awareness and its dimensions with visuospatial skills, executive functions (double task and cognitive inhibition), episodic memory (Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test and Montevideo short story) and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Patients who have suffered a moderate or severe TBI may have impaired self-awareness. Self-awareness is the ability to objectively perceive (perceive our own self), while maintaining a sense of subjectivity, It is a complex function that needs to use executive functions and episodic memory. The relationship found between interpersonal self-awareness and depressive symptoms does not seem to be conclusive, since this association is probably more complex, and involves other variables not considered in this study.