Post-Concussion Syndrome

Question 1

what are the characteristics of post-concussive syndrome? (2)

Answer 1

• persistent symptoms that stay long past acute injury
• caused, maintained, and worsened by factors other than the hit to the head; doesn’t actually have anything to do with the concussion

Question 2

what is the DSM-5 criteria for neurocognitive disorder (NCD) due to traumatic brain injury? (3)

Answer 2

• the criteria are met for major or mild neurocognitive disorder (decline in cognitive ability: memory, concentration, processing speed)
• there is evidence of a traumatic brain injury
• the neurocognitive disorder presents immediately after the occurrence of the traumatic brain injury or immediately after recovery of consciousness and persists past the acute post-injury period

Question 3

what are the personality characteristics associated with post-concussive syndrome? (3)

Answer 3

• individual response style to trauma: do you overemphasize or underemphasize symptoms. Interacts with psychological stressors
• individual differences in emotional significance of an event
• personality styles: overachievement, dependency, insecurity, grandiosity, borderline personality characteristics make one more vulnerable

Question 4

what is the nocebo effect?

Answer 4

opposite of the placebo effect. causation of sickness from expectation of sickness

Question 5

what is the ‘good old days’ bias?

Answer 5

• we think we functioned better in the past

- interacts with litigation status

Question 6

what is stereotype threat and diagnosis threat?

Answer 6

• a negative stereotype can impact your performance, which is a diagnosis threat when applied to neuropsychology
• if you call attention to their injury or the purpose of the assessment they will do worse on neuropsychological tests