Mild traumatic brain injury in the elderly
There is much evidence that age is a negative prognostic factor in traumatic brain injury, and that death following brain damage rises with age; in fact death is a near certainty for people who get a traumatic brain injury in their mid seventies. Even in the case of more moderate brain damage, elder people have a lower survival rate than is seen in younger people.
Mass lesions
Elderly people are much more likely to get traumatic mass lesions from moderate injuries, this often results in a permanent disabilities and lengthy, often permanent hospital stays. Additionally, older people are more likely to have post-concussional injuries a year after the occurance of their brain injury. These post-concussional symptoms often include apathy, impulsive behaviour, and depression.
Mild traumatic brain injury
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It is estimated that between ten and fifteen percent of patients who suffer from a mild traumatic brain injury have recurring deficits suggesting that a significant brain impairment has occurred. This means that approximately eighty five percent of patients who suffer from a mild form of brain injury are able to recover. It is thought that one of the reasons that younger patients are better to recover from damage than older patients can be explained by brain reserve capacity; it is expected that there are protective capacities for people who are younger and have a higher than average mental capabilities.Â
 In their investigation of neurocognitive functioning in people carrying a mild brain injury Stapert et al suggested that neurocognitive performance may be a consequence of a culmulation of risk factors, and that this will have a greater impact on younger patients than in the elderly.