Study Finds Link Between Brain Injury and Aggression

 

2011-04-16 13:02:47 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jordan Grafman, PhD, director of TBI Research, publishes new study linking location of injury, gene

March 22, 2011 – According to research published in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, the development of aggressive behavior after brain injury is linked to injury location and gene expression.  The article,Prefrontal cortex lesions and MAO-A modulate aggression in penetrating traumatic brain injury,” is authored by a group headed by Jordan Grafman, PhD, director of traumatic brain injury research at Kessler Foundation. This is a follow-up study to the Vietnam Veterans Head Injury Project, which monitors long-term sequelae in more than 200 veterans with penetrating brain injury.

Aggressive behavior develops in some individuals after traumatic brain injury--the signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  “Aggressive behavior not only hinders rehabilitation and recovery after brain injury, it’s devastating to families,” said Grafman.

This study assessed level of aggression in 155 veterans with penetrating brain injury, and looked for associations.  The monoamine oxidase inhibitor-A (MAO-A) genotype was found to play a role in modulating aggressive behavior.  However, the degree to which MAO-A contributed to aggressive behavior varied with the location of brain injury.

“Clinicians who see patients with lesions of the prefrontal cortex should inquire specifically about aggressive  behavior,” advised Grafman. Patients and their families may benefit from counseling aimed at managing this behavior. “Short-term cognitive behavioral therapy can also be very helpful,” he added.

Any type of injury to the prefrontal cortex raises the risk for aggressive behavior in patients with genetic susceptibility. “It’s not just penetrating injuries,” Grafman emphasized. “Stroke, multiple sclerosis, and closed head injuries have the same impact.”  The associations found in this study have practical implications, according to Grafman. Optimal care for people with brain injury requires a multimodal approach that includes high resolution imaging studies, genetic testing and psychological assessment.

The study was sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke  (NIH) and funded by a grant from the US Army Medical Research and Material Command.  It was conducted during Dr. Grafman’s tenure at the National Institutes of Health. Co-authors are M. Pardini, F. Krueger, C. Hodgkinson, V. Raymont, C. Ferrier, D. Goldman, M. Strenziok, and S. Guida.

About Kessler Foundation

Kessler Foundation’s fundamental strategy is to link science and grantsmanship so that people with disabilities can lead more productive, independent and fulfilling lives. Kessler Foundation Research Center investigates better ways to treat injuries of the spinal cord and brain, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and other chronic neurological and orthopedic conditions. Kessler Foundation Program Center has provided more than $20 million in funding to a variety of employment-related projects that are benefitting veterans, young adults, students and others who are dealing with physical and cognitive disabilities.

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