In a study published in Sports Health, Master et al. found that the existence of pre-injury mental health diagnoses correlated with longer concussion recovery time and increased emotional symptoms.

A recent study has found that acupuncture has a statisticcally significant effect on reducing symptoms of PTSD.

Scientists have found that athletes with baseline comorbid depression and anxiety reported more symptoms on the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale, without having a recent concussion, than the post-concussion athletes who had a healthy mood at baseline.

A study conducted by Jacob Kay et al. found that male and female teenagers who reported a history of concussion in the last year were at greater risk of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts than those who had not sustained a concussion in the previous year.

A recent study in the Journal of Athletic Training explored the role of mental health in predicting lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries (LE MSK) after sports-related concussions in NCAA student-athletes. Previous research has found that the rate of LE MSK is elevated post-concussion, although the cause of this increased rate is unknown. In addition, poorer mental health is common post-concussion.

A research article in Concussion studied the “barriers and facilitators” that family physicians face when helping patients manage mental health complications following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Researchers found that overparenting was associated with higher anxiety and stress for patients post-concussion and had a small yet significant correlation with longer recovery times. Further, higher emotional distress levels in patients were associated with worse clinical outcomes.