Quick Facts

    • May occur when parts of the brain responsible for controlling hormones are damaged
    • May begin soon after a brain injury or months to years following an injury
    • May go undiagnosed due to the large number of hormones that are affected or the symptoms are like other common impacts of brain injury
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What does it
look like?

Symptoms of hormonal imbalance which are similar to other common effects of brain injury include :

  • Depression, anxiety, mood swings
  • Vision changes
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Sexual changes (i.e. impotence and/or change in sex drive)

Other possible symptoms include:

  • Weakness in muscles, sensitivity to cold
  • Loss of body hair
  • Changes to menstruation and/or reduced fertility
  • Dry skin, pale appearance
  • Low blood pressure, dizziness
  • Increased thirst and urination (diabetes insipidus)
  • Vomiting, confusion, convulsions (hyponatremia)

Possible Causes and Complications

Possible causes:

  • Damage to the pituitary gland and/or hypothalamus

Possible complications:

  • Hormonal systems most changed by brain injury are sex hormones, growth hormones or stress hormones
  • Children may experience growth problems if the injury results in changes to their levels of growth hormone leading to the many symptoms mentioned above

What can we do?

  • Encourage your doctor to test hormone levels and scan for possible damage to hypothalamus or pituitary gland
  • Ask your doctor questions regarding possible hormone imbalance
    • Have hormones been affected by the injury?
    • Can these hormones be replaced?
    • Can symptoms be relieved?
    • What are the risks and benefits of the treatment?
    • How will I know if hormone function returns to normal?
    • How often should hormone levels be checked?

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to replace advice from a medical doctor. Consult a health care provider regarding specific medical concerns or treatment.

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