Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS
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J Int Neuropsychol Soc · Jul 2016
Chronic Effects of Blast-Related TBI on Subcortical Functional Connectivity in Veterans.
Blast explosions are the most frequent mechanism of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in recent wars, but little is known about their long-term effects. ⋯ FC of the globus pallidus is altered years after exposure to blast related TBI. Future studies are necessary to explore the trajectory of changes in FC in subcortical regions after blast TBI, the effects of isolated versus repetitive blast-related TBI, and the relation to long-term outcomes in veterans. (JINS, 2016, 22, 631-642).
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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.
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J Int Neuropsychol Soc · Mar 2016
Lower Working Memory Performance in Overweight and Obese Adolescents Is Mediated by White Matter Microstructure.
Elevated body mass index (BMI) is associated with deficits in working memory, reduced gray matter volume in frontal and parietal lobes, as well as changes in white matter (WM) microstructure. The current study examined whether BMI was related to working memory performance and blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activity, as well as WM microstructure during adolescence. ⋯ These findings indicate that higher BMI is associated with decreased FA in WM fibers connecting brain regions that support working memory, and that WM microstructural deficits may underlie inferior working memory performance in youth with higher BMI. Of interest, BMI did not show the same relationship with working memory BOLD activity, which may indicate that changes in brain structure precede changes in function.
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J Int Neuropsychol Soc · Feb 2016
Disrupted Intrinsic Connectivity among Default, Dorsal Attention, and Frontoparietal Control Networks in Individuals with Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury.
Individuals with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) often show detrimental deficits in higher order cognitive functions requiring coordination of multiple brain networks. Although assessing TBI-related deficits in higher order cognition in the context of network dysfunction is promising, few studies have systematically investigated altered interactions among multiple networks in chronic TBI. ⋯ Our findings suggest that assessing multiple networks-of-interest simultaneously will allow us to better understand deficits in goal-directed cognition and other higher order cognitive phenomena in chronic TBI. Future research will be needed to better understand the behavioral consequences related to these network disruptions.