Relationship between fatigue after acquired brain injury and depression, injury localization and aetiology: An explorative study in a rehabilitation setting

• Published in: Journal of rehabilitation medicine Vol. 50; no. 8; pp. 725 - 731
• Main Authors: Holmqvist, A, Lindstedt, M, Möller, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 01.09.2018; Medical Journals Sweden
• Subjects: Acquired; Brain cancer; Brain tumors; braininjury; Cohort analysis; Comparative studies; depression; Etiology; Fatigue; Hemorrhage; Interdisciplinary aspects; Lesions; Localization; Medical diagnosis; Mental depression; Multidisciplinary teams; Rehabilitation; Self evaluation; stroke; Traumatic brain injury; traumaticbraininjury; Tumors
• ISSN: 1650-1977; 1651-2081; 1651-2081
• DOI: 10.2340/16501977-2365

Fatigue after acquired brain injury may be related to the subcortico-frontal attention network. Depression is also strongly related to fatigue. This study investigates whether injury localization, diagnosis and depression are related to self-rated mental fatigue in patients with an acquired brain injury. Retrospective cross-sectional cohort study. Sixty-one patients diagnosed with stroke, subarachnoidal haemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, or brain tumour were included in the study. Patients who underwent a multidisciplinary team assessment during September 2011 to June 2012, and who were assessed with the Mental Fatigue Scale, were included in the study. A significantly higher number of patients with posterior and non-specific lesions experienced fatigue compared with those with subcortical/frontal injuries. Fewer stroke patients experienced fatigue compared with the other patient groups. However, after logistic regression, only depression remained as an explanatory variable for self-rated fatigue. Nevertheless, although all patients with depression were fatigued, not all fatigued patients were depressed. Although depression explains a high degree of fatigue after an acquired brain injury, mental fatigue after brain injury should be viewed as a condition partly separate from depression. Future extensive comparative studies are required, preferably including neuropsychological measures.