Study Shows Epilepsy is Common Post Traumatic Symptom of Brain Injuries

A new study is reporting that soldiers who have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have a higher risk of epilepsy decades after they sustained their injuries.  On July 20, 2010, the print issue of Neurology (a medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology) published the research study.

The author of the study, Jordan Grafman, PhD, said, "Given the better chances of survival in soldiers fighting in conflicts today, our research suggests that all veterans with a traumatic brain injury should be routinely screened for post-traumatic epilepsy, even decades after the injury."  Dr. Grafman works at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Maryland.

The journal says that post-traumatic epilepsy is the most common cause of new-onset epilepsy amongst adults.  Each year, 30,000 cases of epilepsy are reported in the USA.

During the research phase of the study, 199 veterans who had suffered brain injuries 35 years prior were asked whether or not they had experienced a seizure.  They also went through scans to detect brain lesions.  Of the 199, 44% had developed post-traumatic epilepsy. The study also showed that the types of seizure the soldiers suffered change over time, usually becoming more severe and even leading to loss of consciousness.

If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury due to another person's negligence and are suffering from long-term symptoms, like epilepsy, contact the Whitley Law Firm and discuss your case with a Raleigh personal injury attorney.