Traumatic Brain Injuries Raise the Risk for Dementia

Many times, a car accident will result in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Cherry Hill car accident lawyers report a new study performed in Finland which suggests that traumatic brain injuries could increase a person’s risk for developing dementia later in life. The study also linked the likelihood of developing dementia to the person’s age at the time of the brain injury and the severity of the initial brain injury.

The study basically found that 3.5 percent of people with moderate to severe TBIs were later diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease like dementia later in life. They found that this rate was significantly higher than people who had never suffered a traumatic brain injury. Additionally, if the person suffered only a mild TBI, their risk of developing dementia or a similar disease was only 1.6 percent. This puts people with a history of a severe TBI at a 90 percent greater risk for a degenerative cognitive disease than those with mild TBIs. It is important to note that TBIs were not linked to other neurological diseases like Parkinson’s disease or ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

This study followed 20,000 moderate to severe TBI patients and 20,000 mild TBI patients.

TBI Victims Susceptible to Dementia

One of the most important findings of the study was that the later the TBI occurs in life, the more likely the person is to develop dementia in the future. For example, the odds of developing dementia in patients who experienced traumatic brain injuries between age 41 and 50 tripled over younger counterparts. If the patient suffered the TBI between ages 51 and 60, the odds of developing dementia doubled from the next younger group.

If the patient experienced a moderate to severe TBI, they were more likely to suffer from dementia before they turned 65.

One of the other main takeaways from the study was the underlying premise that even if people fully recovered from a TBI, this still left them with a significant chance of developing dementia later in life.

While it may be possible to avoid TBIs by not participating in risky activities, especially after age 41, it is very difficult to avoid a TBI related to a car accident. Being aware of the secondary risks of your condition could affect how your attorney handles a case associated with your car accident.

Cherry Hill Car Accident Lawyers at DiTomaso Law Represent TBI Victims

Our offices are located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and Philadelphia. Call the Cherry Hill car accident lawyers at DiTomaso Law today toll free at 856-414-0010 to schedule your free, confidential consultation or contact us online.