University of Glasgow researchers publish findings on the relationship between traumatic brain injury and risk of developing MND

Along with MND Association and MND Scotland, we have funded Consultant Neuropathologist Professor Willie Stewart, to examine the relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the risk of developing motor neuron disease (MND). Professor Stewart and his team have recently published their findings.

Researchers have been studying the possible association between TBI and MND for a while, but no conclusions have, so far, been made.

Using UK-wide electronic health records from more than 340,000 adults between 2005 and 2020, the researchers found that individuals with a history of TBI were over twice as likely to receive a subsequent MND diagnosis compared with matched individuals without a history of TBI. However, it is important to note that this risk was confined to the first two years following the injury; after those two years no long-term risk was observed.

As the increased risk was mostly seen during the two years immediately after the injury, it suggests that TBI might be an early sign of MND rather than a cause of the disease. This is because there is the potential for someone who has not yet been diagnosed with MND but is at the earliest stages of the disease to be unsteady on their feet, which may mean they’re more likely to fall and suffer a TBI.

This research has provided a new understanding of the potential link between TBI and MND and represents one of the most comprehensive population-level studies in this area to date.

We will continue to collaborate with our funding partners and the research community to uncover the underlying causes of MND to enable faster diagnosis.