Understanding and Managing the TBI-induced Disinhibited Behaviors
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is frequently complicated by disinhibited behaviors, sometimes temporary, sometimes permanent. An agitated person reacts to minimal stimuli: sounds, lights, movement, and touch. Patients may be irritable, combative, impatient and rude. Some of them present with emotional outbursts. The presence of posttraumatic amnesia often aggravates their restlessness, aggression and emotionality. In addition, disturbances in motor function and control, sensory loss, communication disorders and cognitive disturbances aggravate these behavioral disturbances, with the uncontrolled aggression being the most dysfunctional one. This poorly controlled and often misunderstood behavior of patients causes a great deal of stress to the families as well as to the medical staff.
Understanding the origins of the mal-adaptive behavior may help all concerned with the patient to cope better.
In the following presentation, we will be describe and discuss several clinical cases, while focusing on the pathophysiology and pathopsychological basis of these behaviors. Management techniques will be addressed too.