Summary
Patients with post-concussional symptoms (PCS) about 6 months after a mild head injury (MHI) were examined for tolerance of light and sound in comparison with concussed patients without PCS and nonconcussed healthy controls. MHI patients with PCS were individually matched with subjects from the two control groups for the time elapsed from the injury, and for age and sex. Using a computerized rating technique, we assessed both the maximal and submaximal levels of lowered tolerance for light and sound over a wide range of stimuli. We found that the MHI patients with PCS 6 months after the trauma (n=11) tolerated significantly less well stimuli of intensities of 71 dB and 500 lx than MHI patients without PCS (n=11) and non-concussed controls (n=11). There were no significant differences in tolerance for light and sound between MHI patients without PCS and the non-injured controls. Decreased tolerance for light and sound may contribute to the persistence of symptoms up to 6 months after a mild head injury. The psychophysical method provides an objective measure for the evaluation of the late persistent postconcussional syndrome.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barth JT, Macciocchi SN, Giordani B, Rimel R, Jane JA, Boll TJ (1983) Neuropsychological sequelae of minor head injury. Neurosurgery 13:529–533
Binder LM (1986) Persisting symptoms after mild head injury: a review of the postconcussive syndrome. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 8:323–346
Boff KR, Kaufmann L, Thomas JP (1986) Handbook of perception and human performance, vol I: Sensory processes and perception. Wiley, New York
Conover WJ, Iman RL (1981) Rank transformations as a bridge between parametric and nonparametric statistics. Am Stat 35:124–129
Dikmen S, McLean A, Temkin N (1986) Neuropsychological and psychosocial consequences of minor head injury. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 49:1227–1232
Ewing R, McCarthy D, Gronwall D, Wrightson P (1980) Persisting effects of minor head injury observable during hypoxic stress. J Clin Neuropsychol 2:147–155
Fuster JM (1989) The prefrontal cortex, 2nd edn. Raven Press, New York
Jonsson C-O, Lidvall H, Mälhammer G (1967) An exploratory psychological study of the post-traumatic cerebral syndrome. Acta Neurol Scand 43:158–166
Levin HS, Mattis S, Ruff RM, Eisenberg HM, Marshall LF, Tabaddor K, High WM, Frankowski RF (1987) Neurobehavioral outcome following minor head injury: a three center study. J Neurosurg 66:234–243
Lishman WA (1988) Physiogenesis and psychogenesis in the ‘post-concussional syndrome’. Br J Psychiatry 15:460–469
Lowdon IMR, Briggs M, Cockin J (1989) Post-concussional symptoms following minor head injury. Injury 20:193–194
MacFlynn G, Montgomery EA, Fenton GW, Rutherford W (1984) Measurement of reaction time following minor head injury. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 47:1326–1331
Rutherford WH, Merrett JD, McDonald JR (1977) Sequelae of concussion caused by minor head injuries. Lancet I:1–4
SAS User's Guide (1985) Statistics (Version 5 edn). SAS Institute, Cary, NC
Stevens JC, Stevens SS (1963) Brightness function: effects of adaptation. J Opt Soc Am 55:375–385
Waddell PA, Gronwall DMA (1984) Sensitivity to light and sound following minor head injury. Acta Neurol Scand 69:270–276
Walsh KW (1987) Neuropsychology: a clinical approach. Livingston, New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bohnen, N., Twijnstra, A., Wijnen, G. et al. Tolerance for light and sound of patients with persistent post-concussional symptoms 6 months after mild head injury. J Neurol 238, 443–446 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314651
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314651