Objectives:
The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the occurrence of brain damage and symptoms of neurotic disorders, reported by patients of the psychotherapeutic day hospital for neurotic and personality disorders before starting treatment.

Methods:
Analysis of the cooccurrence of neurotic symptoms with previous head or brain tissue damage. The trauma was reported in a structured interview (Life Questionnaire) completed before treatment in the day hospital for neurotic disorders. Illustrated with OR coefficients (odds ratios), the performed regression analyzes showed statistically significant correlations between brain damage (caused by brain trauma, stroke, etc.) and symptoms listed in the symptom checklist KO“0”.

Results:
In a group of 2,582 women and 1,347 men, some of respondents reported (in the self-completed Life Questionnaire) a previous head or brain injury. Men reported a history of trauma much more often than women (20.2% vs. 12.2%; p < 0.0005). Patients who had a history of head trauma obtained a significantly higher value of the global severity of neurotic symptoms (OWK) in the symptom checklist KO “0” than patients without head trauma. This applied to both the male and female groups. Regression analyzes showed a significant relationship between head injuries and the group of anxiety and somatoform symptoms. In both groups (men and women), ‛paraneurological’, dissociative, derealization, and anxiety symptoms occurred more frequently. Men more often reported difficulties in controlling the expression of emotions, muscle cramps and tension, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, skin and allergic symptoms, and symptoms of depressive disorders. Women more often reported vomiting when feeling nervous.

Conclusions:
Patients with a history of head injuries have a higher global severity of neurotic disorders symptoms than people without such history. Men experience head injuries more often than women, and the risk of developing symptoms of neurotic disorders is higher in men. It seems that patients with head injuries are a special group when it comes to reporting some psychopathological symptoms, especially in the group of men.