TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES MAY RESULT IN DEMENTIA
When it comes to the impact that an individual suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have on an individual in terms of their risk of developing dementia down the road, scientists studying the issue have long found that data to be inconclusive. It’s only recently that new evidence has emerged that suggests that TBIs have the potential of causing long-term brain damage.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that TBIs result from an individual suffering either some type of sudden movement or forceful physical contact to their head. Statistics compiled by the government agency in 2013 found that, among the 2.8 million who suffered a TBI that year, 56,000 died of them.
They also found that the population’s most vulnerable to experience a TBIs included teens and young adults ages 14 through 25, children younger than 4 years of age and the elderly, ages 75 and up. These individuals were found to be most apt to suffer TBIs as a result of having been hit by something, falling or because they were involved in a car crash.
Among those who suffer TBIs, some of the initial symptoms they may face include blurred vision, short-term memory problems, headaches and slurred speech. Over time, TBI victims may suffer from infections and seizures related to their condition.
Recent research suggests that TBI victims may also ultimately be at higher risk for being diagnosed with neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Diseases and dementia.
If you suspect that you’re suffering from preliminary symptoms of a TBI, then it’s important to note that your condition may get much worse. Even if they don’t initially, they may develop into a chronic, degenerative neurological disease in the future.
In discussing the circumstances surrounding your injury with a Bowling Green, Kentucky, car crash attorney, you may find that you’re eligible to recover damages for current and future medical expenses in your case.
Source: Medical News Today, “TBI and dementia: Link or no link?,” Yella Hewings-Martin, PhD, July 14, 2017