Researchers have assessed the types of behavioural disturbances shown by patients in a post-traumatic amnesic (PTA) state.
PTA is a temporary state following a period of unconsciousness where a person may behave out of character, aggressively or unusually, for example they might shout, swear, try to pull hospital tubes out or behave inappropriately. More information on this stage is available on the page Post-traumatic amnesia.
The researchers assessed the results of 30 papers on the subject and found agitation to be the most frequently assessed behaviour. However, they also found reports of eight broad behavioural categories, namely: disinhibition, agitation, aggression, lability, lethargy/low mood, perceptual disturbances/psychotic symptoms, personality change and sleep disturbances.
The researchers conclude that the results highlight a range of behavioural disturbances during post-traumatic amnesia that warrant assessing alongside aggression.
Reference: Tanna, V., Parry, L., Brookes, N., Epps, A., & Lah, S. (2024). Post-traumatic amnesia: a scoping review & content analysis of behavioral disturbances. Brain Injury, 38(2).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2024.2304865
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