Are Older People with Brain Diseases More Likely to Have TBI?
A Neurology® study shows a link between people with neurological conditions and the risk of TBI.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is known to increase the risk of dementia, stroke, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease. Researchers wanted to know whether these brain conditions could come before a TBI, given that many neurological conditions and use of medications with older age increase the risk of falling, which is the primary cause of TBI in older adults.
A new study published June 17, 2026, in Neurology® suggests that the relationship between TBI and certain brain diseases may in fact be bidirectional. This means that certain neurological conditions may increase the chance of TBI, and TBI may, in turn, increase the chance of certain neurological conditions.
Researchers studied 13,801 veterans with an average age of 78 who had a recent TBI and compared them to 41,403 veterans of similar ages who did not have a TBI. They reviewed health records for one year before and one year after the TBI.
The study found that older veterans with a recent TBI were three to four times more likely to have been diagnosed with stroke, dementia, epilepsy, or Parkinson's disease in the year before their injury than those without a TBI. The study does not prove that other neurological conditions cause an increased risk of TBI; it only shows a connection.
"These findings suggest that the period after being diagnosed with a neurological condition is an important time period for preventing TBI," said study author Carrie Peltz, PhD, of San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System in California. "Neurological diseases often impair motor control, balance, gait, coordination, and thinking skills—all of which make people more likely to fall, which is the main cause of TBI in older adults."
Dr. Peltz added that the results support screening older adults for fall risk at the time of a neurological diagnosis and quickly connecting them with physical therapy, occupational therapy, or fall prevention programs.
Key Takeaways
- This study found that older adults with stroke, dementia, epilepsy, or Parkinson's disease may be at a higher risk of TBI.
- Screening older adults with neurological conditions for fall risk and referring them to prevention programs may help reduce their risk of TBI.
Medically reviewed by Sarah Song, MD, MPH, FAAN
