[Psychopatological evaluation of traumatic brain injury patients with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory].

INTRODUCTION: The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) is a scale that assesses psychiatric symptoms in patients with neurological disorders, principally dementia. Despite its advantages, there are few published studies in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. With the NPI information we are going to describe the psychopatologic disorders in a group of TBI chronic patients and look the possible association with psychiatric history and outcome measures.

METHOD: The NPI was applied to caregivers of 53 patients with severe TBI in chronic phase. We also collected functional and community integration scales.

RESULTS: 92.5% of patients had some neuropsychiatric symptom, according to NPI. The most frequents were irritability/lability, apathy and depression/dysphoria. Those patients with drugs abuse history had more psychiatric symptoms. Presence of agitation/aggression, apathy and disinhibition were correlated with more disability.

CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric disorders are common between patients with TBI. The NPI is a scale that systematically assesses the behavioral and emotional disorders more common in these patients. Some of the symptoms negatively influence the degree of disability.