Traumatic Brain Injury and Sleep Disturbances Linked
A study entitled Sleep Disturbance and Melatonin Levels Following Traumatic Brain Injury published in the American Academy of Neurology's journal Neurology found that sleep disturbances commonly follow traumatic brain injuries.
Australian researchers performed sleep experiments on 23 people affected by traumatic brain injuries as well as 23 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers.
Among other things, the study found that traumatic brain injury patients spent an average of 62 minutes per night awake compared to 27 minutes for those in the healthy group. In fact, the researchers suggest that damage associated with a brain injury may disrupt the neural structures that regulate sleep.
Elevated depression was also associated with the reduced ability to sleep soundly.
Such research is important for understanding the long term affects of traumatic brain injuries. Proper diagnosis and treatment are critical to recover from such injuries. The Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Kroll is personal injury law firm experienced in handling traumatic brain injury cases. Please contact us today at (312) 676-7222.
