Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Ashley N. Clausen, Heather C. Bouchard, Kathleen A. Welsh-Bohmer, Rajendra A. Morey
Summary: This study compared the chronic effects of combat-related blast mTBI and subconcussive blast exposure on neuropsychological performance in Veterans. Results showed that Veterans with combat-related blast mTBI exhibited significantly slower processing speed compared to controls, even after controlling for PTSD and depressive symptoms. However, there were no significant differences in cognition between subconcussive and control groups, or between subconcussive and combat-related blast mTBI groups, suggesting that neurocognitive assessment may not be sensitive enough to detect the long-term effects of subconcussive blast exposure.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Chandni Sheth, Jadwiga Rogowska, Margaret Legarreta, Erin McGlade, Deborah Yurgelun-Todd
Summary: The study revealed increased connectivity between the ACC and other brain regions in Veterans with mTBI, consistent with previous research findings. This may explain enhanced top-down control networks to compensate for microstructural damage post-mTBI.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Theresa A. Lusardi, Ursula S. Sandau, Nikita A. Sakhanenko, Sarah Catherine B. Baker, Jack T. Wiedrick, Jodi A. Lapidus, Murray A. Raskind, Ge Li, Elaine R. Peskind, David J. Galas, Joseph F. Quinn, Julie A. Saugstad
Summary: The study revealed that both traumatic brain injury (TBI) and deployment can result in persistent changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) miRNA levels that are relevant to known miRNA-mediated Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, which may reflect early events in AD.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Teodor M. Svedung Wettervik, Anders Lewen, Per Enblad
Summary: Neurointensive care plays a crucial role in preventing secondary insults and reducing secondary brain injury. Traditional management focuses on avoiding high intracranial pressure and maintaining adequate cerebral perfusion pressure, but traumatic brain injury is highly heterogeneous. Introduction of multimodality monitoring has enhanced understanding of complex pathophysiology.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Scott Ferguson, Robyn McCartan, Mackenzie Browning, Coral Hahn-Townsend, Arissa Gratkowski, Alexander Morin, Laila Abdullah, Ghania Ait-Ghezala, Joseph Ojo, Kimberly Sullivan, Michael Mullan, Fiona Crawford, Benoit Mouzon
Summary: The relationship between chemical and pharmaceutical exposures and traumatic brain injury (TBI) has not been extensively studied. This study found that Gulf War toxicant exposure may worsen TBI-related deficits, affecting spatial memory and behavior in mice.
ACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Tatjana Novakovic-Agopian, Lainie Posecion, Erica Kornblith, Gary Abrams, John R. McQuaid, Thomas C. Neylan, Joaquin Burciaga, Jeremy Joseph, Gerald Carlin, Jessica Groberio, Brian Maruyama, Anthony J. W. Chen
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of GOALS training on military Veterans with comorbid PTSD and mTBI. The results indicated significant improvements in cognitive functioning and emotional regulation among participants, suggesting that attentional self-regulation training may enhance cognitive control functioning in this population.
JOURNAL OF NEUROTRAUMA
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Andrea L. C. Schneider, Carrie B. Peltz, Yixia Li, Amber Bahorik, Raquel C. Gardner, Kristine Yaffe
Summary: This study found that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with long-term stroke risk, with differences observed in age, sex, race and ethnicity, and time since TBI diagnosis. The highest risk of stroke occurs in the first year after TBI diagnosis, but the risk remains elevated for more than 10 years. Both mild and moderate/severe/penetrating TBI increase the risk of stroke compared to individuals without TBI. Older individuals have a stronger association between TBI and stroke, while Black veterans have a weaker association compared to other races and ethnicities. These findings suggest that veterans with prior TBI should be targeted for primary stroke prevention measures.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Faith W. Akin, Owen D. Murnane, Courtney D. Hall, Kristal M. Riska, Jennifer Sears
Summary: The purpose of this study was to assess vestibular and balance function in individuals with chronic dizziness associated with mTBI/blast. The findings show significant differences between the case group and the control group in saccadic accuracy, VOR gain, vestibular evoked myogenic potentials asymmetry ratio, sensory organization test score, Dynamic Gait Index score, and gait. Abnormalities in vestibular, ocular motor, and balance/gait testing were observed in participants with mTBI/blast, with the most frequent abnormalities occurring in tests of balance and gait function.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Sara M. Lippa, Ping-Hong Yeh, John Ollinger, Tracey A. Brickell, Louis M. French, Rael T. Lange
Summary: The extant literature on the relationship between diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and cognition following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is limited by small sample sizes and inappropriate control groups. This study examined DTI metric differences between different TBI groups and found a dose-response relationship between TBI severity and the strength of the relationship between white matter integrity and cognitive performance. Unlike previous findings, this study did not find any differences in DTI metrics between controls, mild TBI, and complicated TBI.
JOURNAL OF NEUROTRAUMA
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Charlotte Oris, Samy Kahouadji, Julie Durif, Damien Bouvier, Vincent Sapin
Summary: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a growing burden worldwide, accounting for approximately 80% of all TBI cases. In recent years, candidate biomarkers have been investigated to improve the management of mTBI patients. Blood biomarker measurement in the acute phase after a traumatic event helps reduce unnecessary CT scans and hospitalizations. S100B protein has emerged as the most widely studied and used biomarker for clinical decision making in patients with mTBI. Besides its diagnostic use, S100B plays a role in the molecular pathogenic processes accompanying acute brain injury, making it a potential therapeutic target.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ellen Lirani-Silva, Samuel Stuart, Lucy Parrington, Kody Campbell, Laurie King
Summary: Research findings suggest impaired saccadic eye movements during walking in individuals with mTBI, but fixations remain unaffected. Future studies should investigate whether saccade outcomes are influenced by the time after the trauma and rehabilitation.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yang Wan, Wenqiang Fang, Rika Wright Carlsen, Haneesh Kesari
Summary: Rotational head motions play a crucial role in traumatic brain injury, and there is a need for methods to quickly predict brain tissue strains and strain rates to estimate injury risk and guide protective equipment design. Idealized continuum mechanics based head models provide a simpler and faster approach to estimate brain strains and strain rates. In this study, a new head model accounting for finite rotations is proposed, which shows comparable strain predictions to a more detailed finite element head model. This model can serve as a basis for introducing finite rotations into more sophisticated head models in the future.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS OF SOLIDS
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Alex S. Aguirre, Kenny Rojas, Alcy R. Torres
Summary: Our study reveals that head injuries are the most common casualties in war zones, affecting both male and female children with an average age of 8-10 years. Most children are from Afghanistan, and blasts are the most common mechanism of injury, with a mortality rate ranging from 3% to 47%.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Katherine Musacchio Schafer, Emma Wilson, Thomas Joiner
Summary: Suicide is a widespread public health concern, with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and lack of social integration identified as risk factors. This cross-sectional study of 1469 military Veterans found that TBI was negatively associated with social integration and positively with suicidality. Social integration was also negatively associated with suicidality. The study suggests that lack of social integration may promote suicidality in the context of TBI and highlights the potential use of social integration as an intervention for suicidality.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Sara M. Lippa, Rael T. Lange, Clifton L. Dalgard, Anthony R. Soltis, Vivian A. Guedes, Tracey A. Brickell, Louis M. French, Jessica Gill
Summary: This study demonstrates for the first time that APOE genotype is related to serum tau levels following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), with APOE e4 carriers having higher levels and APOE e2 carriers having lower levels, suggesting a possible protective effect.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2022)