Profiles of Patients With a History of Mild Head Injury

Mild head injury (MHI) causes heterogeneous disorders. In this exploratory study, the authors attempted to gain an understanding of this heterogeneity by isolating on clinical criteria three groups of bona fide MHI patients. These were patients who presented with virtually no complaints unless prodded (a "stoic" or "low complaint," LC) group; those who were admitted with numerous complaints, who were also demanding and argumentative ("extraverted-aggressive," EA); and those who, although symptomatic, appeared to retreat under conditions of environmental stress ("introverted-withdrawn," IW). By assessing clinical, neuropsychological, electroencephalographic (EEG) and personality variables the authors were provisionally able to support their subdivision in terms of the personality profile and, to a certain extent, both neuropsychologically and by relying on the EEC alpha/theta ratio.