Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS
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J Int Neuropsychol Soc · Apr 2016
Cognition in the Emergency Department as a Predictor of Recovery after Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.
Cognitive abilities can be acutely disrupted in children and adolescents who sustain a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), with the potential that these disruptions may be predictive of recovery. The objective of this study was to determine if cognitive abilities in the emergency department (ED) can differentiate and predict poor symptom recovery following a pediatric mTBI. Participants included 77 male and female youth with a mTBI (mean age=13.6; SD=2.6). ⋯ Youth with low scores on Reaction Time and/or Cognitive Flexibility were nearly 15 times (95% CI=1.8-323.5) more likely to remain symptomatic at 1 month post-mTBI. No significant group differences were found at 7-10 days, 2 months, or 3 months post-injury. Rapid computerized cognitive testing in the ED following a mTBI may help clinicians predict which youth may or may not remain symptomatic at follow-up.
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J Int Neuropsychol Soc · Apr 2016
Cognitive Deficits Correlate with White Matter Deterioration in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2.
The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between cognitive and white matter deterioration in a group of participants with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2). ⋯ Our findings show significant correlations between white matter microstructural damage in key areas affected in SCA2 and cognitive deficits. These findings result in a more comprehensive understanding of the effect of the neurodegenerative process in people with SCA2.