The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy for post-traumatic headaches

Headache Disorders in VHA Primary Care: Prevalence, Psychiatric Comorbidity, and Health Care Utilization

Military veterans are at increased risk for headache disorders compared to the general population, yet the prevalence and burden associated with headache disorders among veterans is not yet well understood. In this electronic medical record study, we examined the prevalence of headache disorders among veterans seen in a northeastern network of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) primary care during 2017-2018. We also examined rates of psychiatric comorbidity and health care utilization of veterans with headache disorders for the year following the date of the first headache code in the medical record. Of the total population of veterans in the network, 1.3% had a headache disorder and another 3.5% had a possible headache disorder. Migraine and chronic migraine represented the majority of cases. Posttraumatic stress disorder was the most frequent psychiatric comorbidity. Having a headache disorder was associated with higher rates of primary care, neurology, pain clinic, and mental health service use but not higher rates of emergency department or Whole Health (e.g., patient-centered, holistic health services) use. Prevalence findings are comparable to those previously found among veterans, but a substantial proportion of veterans may have been misdiagnosed. Veterans with headache disorders have high rates of psychiatric comorbidity and use several types of health services at higher rates. Findings highlight the need for interdisciplinary care and further education and support for primary care providers. Primary care settings that integrate evidence-based behavioral and Whole Health services may be an optimal way of providing more holistic care for headache disorders.

Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Pain and Sleep in Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature on the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on insomnia and pain in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, and Web of Science databases were searched. Outcomes, including pain, sleep quality, and adverse events, were investigated. Differences were expressed using mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The statistical analysis was performed using STATA 16.0. Twelve trials with 476 TBI patients were included. The included studies did not indicate a positive effect of CBT on pain. Significant improvements were shown for self-reported sleep quality, reported with the Pittsburgh Self-Reported Sleep Quality Index (MD, -2.30; 95% CI, -3.45 to -1.15; P < 0.001) and Insomnia Severity Index (MD, -5.12; 95% CI, -9.69 to -0.55; P = 0.028). No major adverse events related to CBT were reported. The underpowered evidence suggested that CBT is effective in the management of sleep quality and pain in TBI adults. Future studies with larger samples are recommended to determine significance. This trial is registered with PROSPERO registration number CRD42019147266.

Provider Training in the Management of Headache Following Concussion Clinical Recommendation: Promoting a Standardized Means for Efficient Patient Recovery and Timely Return to Duty

Background: Headache is a common symptom reported following concussion/mild traumatic brain injury. The Department of Defense's clinical recommendation (CR) describes guidance for primary care providers for the management of post-traumatic headache (PTH) in Service members.

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine the association between training on the CR with provider clinical practice, patient behaviors, and symptom recovery.

Methods: Participants were healthcare providers and two patient groups (one receiving care as usual [CAU] and another receiving care after provider training on PTH CR [CR+]). Providers were interviewed at three time points: (1) prior to CAU enrollment; (2) after CAU enrollment, but prior to training; and (3) after CR+ follow-up. Data from the second and third provider interview were used to evaluate a potential difference between provider practices pre- and post-training (n = 13). Patients were enrolled within 6 months of concussion. Patient outcomes (including neurobehavioral and headache symptoms) were assessed at three time-points: within 72 h (n = 35), at 1-week (n = 34) and at 1-month post-enrollment (n = 27).

Results: Most follow-up care reported by providers were recommended within 72 h of initial visit post-training vs. >1 week pre-training. Additionally, providers reported a greater number of visits based on patient symptoms after training than before. Post-training, most providers reported referring patients to higher level of care “as needed,” if not “very rarely,” compared to 25% reported referrals prior to training. At 1-week post-enrollment the CR+ patient group reported more frequent medical provider visits compared to the CAU group. This trend was reversed at the 1-month follow-up whereby more CAU reported seeing a medical provider compared to CR+. By 1-week post-enrollment, fewer patients in the CR+ group reported being referred to any other providers or specialists compared to the CAU group. No differences in patient outcomes by provider training was found.

Conclusion: The study results demonstrate the feasibility of training on the Management of Headache Following Concussion CR in order to change provider practices by promoting timely care, and promoting patient compliance as shown through improvement in follow-up visits and more monitoring within the primary care clinic.

Current patterns of primary care provider practices for the treatment of post-traumatic headache in active duty military settings

Objective

To provide a preliminary assessment of the current clinical practice for the treatment of post-traumatic headache following concussion in military primary health care settings.

Background

Headache is one of the most common symptoms post-concussion; however, little is known of the current clinical practices of primary care providers (on the treatment of post-traumatic headache), particularly in military settings.

Methods

Study participants were primary care providers (n = 65) who treated active duty Service members suffering from post-traumatic headache at two military installations. Qualitative data gathered via semi-structured interviews were used to describe provider practices and experience in treating patients with post-traumatic headache.

Results

Some patterns of care across primary care providers treating post-traumatic headache were consistent with the Department of Defense-recommended clinical recommendation (e.g., recommendation of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment [89.4%]; engaging in follow-up care [100%]). Differences existed in timing of follow-up from initial visit [16.9% reporting within 24 hours; 21.5% reporting within 48–72 hours; and 26.2% reporting more than 1 week], the factors contributing to the type of care given (e.g., symptomatology [33.0%], injury characteristic [24.2%], patient characteristic [13.2%]) and the need for referral to higher level of care (e.g., symptomatology [44.6%], treatment failure [25.0%]). These variations may be indicative of individualized treatment which would be compliant with best clinical practice.

Conclusion

The results of this study demonstrate the current clinical practice in military primary care settings for the treatment of post-traumatic headache which can potentially inform and improve implementation of provider training and education.

Telephone-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for veterans with chronic pain following traumatic brain injury: Rationale and study protocol for a randomized controlled trial study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Chronic pain is a highly prevalent and potentially disabling condition in Veterans who have had a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and access to non-pharmacological pain treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy is limited and variable. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to evaluate the efficacy of a telephone-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (T-CBT) for pain in Veterans with a history of TBI.

METHODS

Veterans with a history of TBI and chronic pain of at least six months duration (N = 160) will be randomized to either T-CBT or a telephone-delivered pain psychoeducational active control condition (T-Ed). The eight-week T-CBT intervention builds on other efficacious CBT interventions for chronic pain in the general population but is novel in that it is conducted via telephone and adapted for Veterans with a history of TBI. Outcome variables will be collected pre, mid-, and post-treatment, and 6 months following randomization (follow-up).

PROJECTED OUTCOMES

In addition to evaluating the effects of the interventions on pain intensity (primary outcome), this study will determine their effects on pain interference, sleep, depression, and life satisfaction. We will also examine potential moderators of treatment outcomes such as cognition, PTSD, and alcohol and drug use. This non-pharmacologic one-on-one therapeutic intervention has the potential to reduce pain and pain-related dysfunction, improve access to care, and reduce barriers associated with geography, finances, and stigma, without the negative effects on physical and cognitive performance and potential for addiction as seen with some pharmacologic treatments for pain. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, protocol NCT01768650.

Lifestyle modifications as therapy for medication refractory post-traumatic headache (PTHA) in the military population of Okinawa

Objective

Our aim was 1) to reduce disability, as characterized by headache frequency, duration and severity in patients with post-traumatic headache (PTHA), 2) to reduce the number of medical boards and work limitations in patients with post traumatic headache, and 3) to reduce use of medical resources and clinic visits related to headache or migraine.

Background

Modifiable risk factors for PTHA include stressful life event, sleep disturbances, and medication overuse. Cognitive-behavioral strategies, biofeedback, and relaxation therapy may have an important role in treatment and preventing progression to chronic post-traumatic headache (CPTHA). There is limited literature and a known practice gap for implementation of these techniques.

Design/methods

An IRB approved project focused on patients who were seen for PTHA and CPTHA. 1) Intervention consisted of lifestyle teaching, cognitive-behavioral therapy and biofeedback, supplemented by decreasing polypharmacy. 2) Patients were followed for 2 years and a retrospective review was conducted for 2 years prior to presentation. 3) Outcome measures included reduction in migraine intensity or frequency, improved quality of life, duty status, and decreased utilization of clinic visits.

Results

Over the course of one year, 221 patients were treated for migraines in the Naval Okinawa Neurology Clinic. Of these, 22 active duty service members and 3 Dependents suffered a mild TBI prior to onset. After intervention, there was a 36% decrease in PTHA frequency, 56% decrease in headache severity and 60% of patients had improved quality of life as compared to the 2 years prior to intervention. Twenty-four percent had reduction in polypharmacy. Appointment frequency for migraine decreased from an average of 6.8 to 2.6 per year.

Conclusions

An implemented program geared towards reducing polypharmacy was shown to improve safety, quality of life and reduce hospitalizations from the burden of migraines. Our systematic approach resulted in quality of life improvements and decreased use of medical resources.

Trial registration

Authors received the approval of NAVMED West, Okinawa Naval Hospital Institutional Review Board on January 13th, 2016. QI.2016.0021.

Psychiatric phenotypes in chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disorder involving cognitive, motor, and psychiatrically-relevant symptoms resulting from repetitive head impacts. Psychiatric phenotypes of CTE, including depression and suicidality, present particular challenges for CTE research, given that the diagnosis requires postmortem neuropathological examination. The pathognomonic lesion of CTE is the perivascular accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau (ptau) protein at the depths of cortical sulci. These lesions are found in the earliest disease stages, and with advancing pathological severity, ptau deposition occurs in widespread brain regions in a four-stage scheme of severity. We review the psychiatric phenotypes of individuals neuropathologically diagnosed with CTE, and suggest that earlier CTE stages hold particular interest for psychiatric CTE research. In the early CTE stages, there is ptau pathology in frontal cortex and axonal loss in the frontal white matter, followed by progressive ptau neurofibrillary degeneration in the amygdala and hippocampus. Neuropathological changes in the frontal and medial temporal lobes may underlie psychiatric phenotypes. Additional insight into the association between CTE pathology and psychiatric sequelae may come from advancements in in vivo methods of CTE detection. Further epidemiological, clinical, and postmortem studies are needed to validate the nature of psychiatric sequelae in CTE.

Concussion

Concussion has been recognized as a clinical entity for more than 1000 years. Throughout the 20th century it was studied extensively in boxers, but it did not pique the interest of the general population because it is the accepted goal of the boxer to inflict such an injury on their opponent. In 2002, however, the possibility that repetitive concussions could result in chronic brain damage and a progressive neurologic disorder was raised by a postmortem evaluation of a retired player in the most popular sports institution in the United States, the National Football League. Since that time concussion has been a frequent topic of conversation in homes, schools, and on television and has become a major focus of sports programs in communities and schools at all levels. Now all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association have enacted laws and rules to protect the athlete.

Behavioral Treatments for Post-Traumatic Headache

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Post-traumatic headache (PTH) is a common headache type after traumatic brain injury (TBI). There are no FDA approved medications for PTH, and it is unknown how medications can affect the brain's ability to recover from TBI. Thus, we sought to examine the biopsychosocial factors that influence PTH and the non-pharmacologic treatments studied for headache treatment. We also sought to determine if there is literature examining whether the non-pharmacologic treatments influence the biopsychosocial factors. The non-pharmacologic treatments assessed included cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation therapy (PMR), acupuncture, and physical therapy (PT).

RECENT FINDINGS

Factors associated with prognosis in PTH may include the following: severity of TBI, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, other psychiatric comorbidities, sociocultural and psychosocial factors, litigation, base rate misattribution, expectation as etiology, and chronic pain. There are few high quality studies on the non-pharmacologic treatments for PTH. Thermal and EMG biofeedback appear to have been examined the most followed by CBT. Studies did not have secondary outcomes examining the psychosocial factors related to PTH. Most of the behavioral studies involved a multi-modality intervention limiting the ability to assess the individual non-pharmacologic interventions we sought to study. There were very few randomized clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of non-pharmacologic interventions. Therefore, future research, which considers the noted biopsychosocial factors, is needed in the field to determine if these interventions reduce PTH.

Randomised, waiting list controlled trial of cognitive-behavioural therapy for persistent postconcussional symptoms after predominantly mild-moderate traumatic brain injury

BACKGROUND

Persistent postconcussional symptoms (PCS) can be a source of distress and disability following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Such symptoms have been viewed as difficult to treat but may be amenable to psychological approaches such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-session individualised, formulation-based CBT programme.

METHOD

Two-centre randomised waiting list controlled trial with 46 adults with persistent PCS after predominantly mild-to-moderate TBI (52% with post-traumatic amnesia (PTA)≤24 hours), but including some with severe TBIs (20% with PTA>7 days).

RESULTS

Improvements associated with CBT were found on the primary outcome measures relating to quality of life (using the Quality of Life Assessment Schedule and the Brain Injury Community Rehabilitation Outcome Scale). Treatment effects after covarying for treatment duration were also found for PCS and several secondary outcomes, including measures of anxiety and fatigue (but not depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)). Improvements were more apparent for those completing CBT sessions over a shorter period of time, but were unrelated to medicolegal status, injury severity or length of time since injury.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that CBT can improve quality of life for adults with persistent PCS and potentially reduce symptoms for some, in the context of outpatient brain injury rehabilitation services.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN49540320.

Interventions for postconcussion syndrome

Although Postconcussion syndrome (PCS) only develops in a minority of cases of mild traumatic brain injury, affected individuals can experience significant distress and prove challenging for services. This paper outlines the risk factors for PCS, relevant theoretical models are discussed, and studies of therapeutic interventions reviewed. It is concluded that early intervention is beneficial, but much further research is required in order to determine which aspects of interventions are most effective for chronic PCS.

Comparison of cognitive behavioral therapy and supportive psychotherapy for the treatment of depression following traumatic brain injury: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To determine the efficacy of 2 different interventions (cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT] and supportive psychotherapy [SPT]) to treat post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) depression.

PARTICIPANTS

A sample of 77 community-dwelling individuals with a TBI, and a diagnosis of depression. Participants were randomized into treatment conditions either CBT or SPT and received up to 16 sessions of individual psychotherapy.

MEASURES

Participants completed the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and self-report measures of depression (Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition), anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), perceived social support (Interpersonal Support Evaluation List), stressful life events (Life Experiences Survey), and quality of life (QOL) before beginning and immediately following treatment.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found at baseline between CBT and SPT groups on demographic factors (sex, age, education, race, and time since injury) or baseline measures of depression, anxiety, participation, perceived social support, stressful life events, or QOL. Analyses of variance revealed significant time effects for the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and QOL outcome measures but no group effects. Intention-to-treat mixed effects analyses did not find any significant difference in patterns of scores of the outcome measures between the CBT and SPT intervention groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Both forms of psychotherapy were efficacious in improving diagnoses of depression and anxiety and reducing depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that in this sample of individuals with TBI, CBT was not more effective in treating depression than SPT, though further research is needed with larger sample sizes to identify different components of these interventions that may be effective with different TBI populations. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00211835.

Considerations for return to work following traumatic brain injury

Population-based studies have demonstrated that a history positive for traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in cognitive impairment, behavioral alterations, and pain. These outcomes can and do influence occupational function, can affect others in the workplace, and raise concerns about workplace safety upon re-entry to the workplace. Risk for long-term impairment and disability can in some cases be mitigated by assessment of capabilities relative to job duties, conservative return-to-work schedules, and, in some cases, interventions to support that return. For those in occupations at high risk for brain injury, including first responders, soldiers, and construction workers, the long-term risk of brain injury as a risk factor for neurodegenerative disease must and should inform increased concern for those with repeated injuries to the brain over the course of their lifetime and career. This chapter reviews the risks of TBI, considers factors that optimize functional recovery, and discusses potential interventions and factors that aid in return to the workplace.

Cognitive behavioural treatment for the chronic post-traumatic headache patient: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Chronic post-traumatic headache (CPTH) after mild head injury can be difficult to manage. Research is scarce and successful interventions are lacking.To evaluate the effect of a group-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) intervention in relation to headache, pain perception, psychological symptoms and quality of life in patients with CPTH.

METHODS

Ninety patients with CPTH according to ICHD-2 criteria were enrolled from the Danish Headache Center into a randomized, controlled trial. Patients were randomly assigned to either a waiting list group or to a nine-week CBT group intervention. At baseline and after 26 weeks all patients completed the Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire, SF-36, SCL-90-R and a headache diary.

RESULTS

The CBT had no effect on headache and pressure pain thresholds and only a minor impact on the CPTH patients' quality of life, psychological distress, and the overall experience of symptoms. The waiting-list group experienced no change in headache but, opposed to the treatment group, a significant decrease in somatic and cognitive symptoms indicating a spontaneous remission over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Our primarily negative findings confirm that management of patients with CPTH still remains a considerable challenge. Psychological group therapy with CBT might be effective in an earlier stage of CPTH and in less severely affected patients but our findings strongly underline the need for randomized controlled studies to test the efficacy of psychological therapy.

Predictors of outcome after treatment of mild traumatic brain injury: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE

To determine factors affecting outcome of comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation of individuals who sustained a mild traumatic brain injury.

PARTICIPANTS

From a 4-year series of referrals, 49 nonconsecutive participants met criteria for mild traumatic brain injury (ie, loss of consciousness <30 minutes, Glasgow Coma Scale score >12).

SETTING

Outpatient, community-based postconcussion clinic at a rehabilitation hospital.

MAIN MEASURES

Participants and therapy staff completed the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-Fourth Edition (MPAI-4) at the initiation and conclusion of treatment. Participants were also administered the Trail Making Test at the start of treatment.

RESULTS

Participants generally gave poorer adaptability ratings than staff at the beginning and discharge of treatment. Regression analyses revealed that after controlling for baseline ratings, psychiatric history was associated with worse participant-rated MPAI-4 Adjustment scores at treatment discharge, whereas better Trail Making Test Part B performance at initiation of treatment predicted better participant-rated MPAI-4 Ability at treatment discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Premorbid demographic and baseline neurocognitive factors should be taken into account prior to comprehensive treatment of mild traumatic brain injury, as they can influence long-term outcomes. Adaptability ratings from both staff and participants can be useful in gaining different perspectives and assessing factors affecting recovery.

Exploring the use of positive psychology interventions in brain injury survivors with challenging behaviour

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of conducting two positive psychology interventions to improve mood and self-concept with survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI), within a neuro-rehabilitation hospital.

METHOD AND PROCEDURES

Ten patients with brain injury were randomly allocated to an intervention and control group. The efficacy of the first intervention, 'three positive things in life' was measured via Seligman's Authentic Happiness Index (AHI), at base-line, directly following the intervention and at the end of the 12-week group programme. The second intervention, the 'Value in Action (VIA) signature strengths intervention' was measured by the Head Injury Semantic Differential Scale (HISDS) at baseline and at the end of the group.

RESULTS

Compared to baseline and control group scores, the AHI index showed an increase in the intervention group's happiness following the intervention and at the end of the 12-week programme, albeit the latter increase was non-significant. The HISDS showed non-significant improvement in self-concept and reduction in polarization of the self in the present, future and past in the second intervention. Anecdotal evidence revealed a clear improved mood following the interventions.

CONCLUSION

This study shows promising results for the effectiveness of Positive Psychology interventions and methods to improve feasibility when applying this treatment within a hospital setting.

Posttraumatic headaches in civilians, soldiers, and athletes

Posttraumatic headaches are one of the most common and controversial secondary headache types. After mild head injury, more than 50% of people develop a postconcussion syndrome which has been controversial for more than 150 years. Headache is estimated as present in 30% to 90% of patients after mild head injury. Most headaches are of the tension type, although migraines can increase in frequency or occur acutely or chronically de novo. A review is provided of headaches in civilians, soldiers after blast trauma, athletes, and post-craniotomy including pathogenesis. The treatments are the same as for the primary phenotypes.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression Following Traumatic Brain Injury

Depression is one of the most common psychiatric diagnoses among individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Prevalence of post-TBI depression (PTBID) ranges from 12 to 60% and is generally higher than rates reported in the general population. The wide range in reported rates is attributed to methodological variability across studies, including measurement and sampling differences. Several systematic reviews have been published in the past 5 years, reporting on outcomes for depression across different classes of interventions, including pharmacological, biomedical and behavioural. The consensus across reviews is that more research is necessary to develop evidence-based practice guidelines. The present narrative review synthesises the findings of previous studies, focusing on the nature of the interventions, the eligibility criteria for inclusion and the assessment of outcome. Pharmacological studies are generally more rigorous methodologically, but provide mixed findings. Other biomedical interventions are only at the initial stages of research development, including case and pilot studies. The results of behavioural studies are positive regarding improvements in mood. However, the number of efficacy studies of behavioural interventions for depression is extremely limited. Recommendations for designing interventions are provided.

Posttraumatic headache

Headache is a common symptom after traumatic head injury and is a frequent feature of the postconcussive syndrome. A variety of headache subtypes can be precipitated by head trauma, although posttraumatic headaches most often resemble migraine or tension-type headache. A lack of clinical trials limits evidence-based treatment recommendations for both acute and chronic posttraumatic headaches. However, numerous pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions can be used to successfully manage posttraumatic headaches. This article reviews the classification, epidemiology, prognosis, and pathophysiology of headaches after head trauma and provides a practical clinical approach for evaluating and treating patients with posttraumatic headaches.

Posttraumatic headache in military personnel and veterans of the iraq and afghanistan conflicts

OPINION STATEMENT

Headaches, particularly migraine, are common in US servicemembers (SMs) who are deployed to or have returned from theaters of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Concussions and exposure to explosive blasts may be a significant contributor to the increased prevalence of headaches in military veterans. Concussions, usually due to blast exposure, occur in approximately 20% of deployed SMs, and headaches are a common symptom after a deployment-related concussion. Posttraumatic headaches (PTHAs) in US SMs usually resemble migraines, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are common comorbidities. Treatment of PTHAs in SMs is based upon the treatment setting, whether the headaches are acute or chronic, the headache phenotype, and associated comorbidities. No randomized, controlled clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of therapies for PTHAs have been completed. Pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management strategies should be selected on an individual basis. Acute therapy with NSAIDs or triptans and prophylactic therapy in acute and chronic settings using valproate, nortriptyline, amitriptyline, propranolol, topiramate, or botulinum toxin are discussed. Triptans and topiramate may be particularly effective in SMs with PTHA. Management of PTHA and other features of the posttraumatic syndrome should be multidisciplinary whenever possible.

Treatment for depression after traumatic brain injury: a systematic review

The aim of this systematic review was to critically evaluate the evidence on interventions for depression following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and provide recommendations for clinical practice and future research. We reviewed pharmacological, other biological, psychotherapeutic, and rehabilitation interventions for depression following TBI from the following data sources: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. We included studies written in English published since 1980 investigating depression and depressive symptomatology in adults with TBI; 658 articles were identified. After reviewing the abstracts, 57 articles met the inclusion criteria. In addition to studies describing interventions designed to treat depression, we included intervention studies in which depressive symptoms were reported as a secondary outcome. At the end of a full review in which two independent reviewers extracted data, 26 articles met the final criteria that included reporting data on participants with TBI, and using validated depression diagnostic or severity measures pre- and post-treatment. Three external reviewers also examined the study methods and evidence tables, adding 1 article, for a total of 27 studies. Evidence was classified based on American Academy of Neurology criteria. The largest pharmacological study enrolled 54 patients, and none of the psychotherapeutic/rehabilitation interventions prospectively targeted depression. This systematic review documents that there is a paucity of randomized controlled trials for depression following TBI. Serotonergic antidepressants and cognitive behavioral interventions appear to have the best preliminary evidence for treating depression following TBI. More research is needed to provide evidence-based treatment recommendations for depression following TBI.

Posttraumatic headache in combat soldiers and civilians: what factors influence the expression of tension-type versus migraine headache?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is highly prevalent in the United States and a common cause of posttraumatic headache (PTH) and disability. The criteria that define PTH include timelines and features that are not based on clearly established physiologic data and may result in the underrecognition and incorrect treatment of these headaches. A clear understanding of the classification of PTH becomes even more elusive when one takes into account combat-related head injuries, which are also highly prevalent and frequently lead to headaches with features that are different from those suffered by civilians with PTH. The fact that tension-type headache phenotypes are uncommon in military personnel with PTH suggests that there are features unique to the combat environment, which may predispose to the development of migraine. Further insight may also be obtained from soldiers with PTH with regard to the true pathophysiology and timelines of headache in the context of TBI.

Post-traumatic headache

The onset of post-traumatic headache (PTC) occurs in the first seven days after trauma, according to the International Headache Society (IHS) classification. The objective of this study was to evaluate the several forms of headache that appear after mild head injury (HI) and time interval between the HI and the onset of pain. We evaluated 41 patients with diagnosis of mild HI following the IHS criteria. Migraine without aura and the chronic tension-type headache were the most prevalent groups, occurring in 16 (39%) and 14 (34.1%) patients respectively. The time interval between HI and the onset of headache was less than seven days in 20 patients (48.7%) and longer than 30 days in 10 (24.3%) patients. The results suggest that PTC may arise after a period longer than is accepted at the present by the IHS.

A clinical pathway including psychotherapy approaches for managing emotional difficulties after acquired brain injury

Emotional difficulties, such as anxiety and depression, are common after acquired brain injury in adults and can influence long-term outcome. Diagnosis in a brain injury context can be difficult. Ideally, rehabilitation approaches should consider the specific treatment of anxiety and depression as well and may include pharmacotherapy, individual psychotherapy, and family interventions. Psychotherapy, especially in regards to longer-term adjustment to brain injury, may have an important adjunctive role in treatment approaches, but adaptations of techniques may be needed. A clinical pathway is described which can help to raise clinicians awareness, as well as increase detection rates and consideration of the specific role of individual psychotherapy in this clinical population. However, an important caveat is that clinical pathways should not serve as a substitute, but rather a facilitator, for the process of reasoning about individual patients in everyday clinical practice.

From psychoneurosis to ICHD-2: an overview of the state of the art in post-traumatic headache

Post-traumatic headache (PTH) is an important public health issue - head injuries are common, headache is the most common sequelae of head injuries, and PTH can be particularly disabling. Fortunately, for most individuals with PTH, the headache gradually dissipates over a period of several days, weeks, or months either spontaneously or aided by non-pharmacologic and/or pharmacologic management. Regrettably, for a minority of head-injured individuals, the PTH is intractable and disabling despite aggressive and comprehensive treatment. Unfortunately, there are many prejudices against individuals with PTH. Frequently, the presence or absence of litigation and/or the mechanism of head injury (sports-related trauma, slip-and-fall injury, motor vehicle accident, or military service-related injury) biases physicians' views on the legitimacy of the patient's PTH. Accordingly, this review attempts to summarize the state of the art of our understanding of PTH. This clinical review highlights: (a) views on PTH throughout the last few centuries, (b) the ICHD-2 classification of PTH, (c) the epidemiology of head injuries and PTH, (d) the clinical characteristics of PTH, (e) PTH related postconcussive symptoms, (f) pathophysiology of PTH, (g) evaluation of PTH, and (h) management of PTH.

Management of pediatric mild traumatic brain injury: a neuropsychological review from injury through recovery

Little scientific attention has been aimed at the non-acute clinical care of pediatric mild TBI. We propose a clinical management model focused on both evaluation and intervention from the time of injury through recovery. Intervention strategies are outlined using a framework encompassing four relevant domains: the individual youth, family, school, and athletics. Clinical management has primary value in its potential to speed recovery, minimize distress during the recovery process, and reduce the number of individuals who subjectively experience longer lasting postconcussive problems. With proper management, most children and adolescents sustaining an uncomplicated mild TBI can be expected to recover fully.

Traumatic Brain Injury and Pain

The co-occurrence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and pain is quite frequent and presents a number of challenges to the medical practitioner. The distinct nature and extent of these challenges calls for considering the co-existence of TBI and pain a unique medical entity. Clearly, from a research standpoint, the area is in its infancy. The clinician is often left with adapting standard techniques effective for evaluating and treating pain in patients without TBI. Such adaptations require a readiness to recognize how pain affects the presence and course of TBI-related symptoms and, in turn, how TBI symptoms affect the presence and course of pain. Given the myriad factors that can affect outcome, effective evaluation and treatment of this co-occurring problem need to rely on a biopsychosocial model, which encourages consideration of a broad perspective of possible causes and care approaches as well as use of multiple disciplines.

Neuropsychologic aspects of post-traumatic headache and chronic daily headache

The management of patients with chronic refractory head pain remains a treatment challenge. Treatment focus should be multidisciplinary as patients evolve into a deteriorated status with psychologic, social, vocational, and cognitive dysfunction. The neuropsychologist will gather premorbid and comorbid information, assess cognitive functioning, and be involved in every behavioral medicine and treatment decision. The patient with post-traumatic head pain copes with head injury sequelae. Issues related to worker's compensation, insurance, disability decisions, and litigation are intrinsic to these patient groups.