Currently, neuropsychologists rely on assessment instruments rooted in century old theory and technology to make evaluations of military personnel’s readiness to return-to-duty or return to their community. The present study sought to explore an alternative by evaluating the validity of a neuropsychological assessment presented within a virtual reality platform. The integration of a neuropsychological assessment into a cognitively and emotionally demanding virtual environment – reminiscent of a combat experience in Iraq – offers a more ecologically valid manner in which to evaluate the cognitive skills required in theater. U.S. military veterans’ (N = 50) performance on the Virtual Reality Stroop Task (VRST) was compared with performance on a paper-and-pencil, a computer adapted version of the Stroop task, and the subtests included in the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics-4 (ANAM4) TBI-MIL test battery. Results supported the validity of the VRST, indicating it demonstrates the typical Stroop effect pattern. The emotional salience of the VRST resulted in slowed reaction time compared to the ANAM Stroop. Further, the complex interference condition of the VRST offers opportunities for evaluation of exogenous and endogenous attentional processing. In the evaluation of threat, participants were noted to perform more accurately and more quickly in low threat versus high threat zones. Ancillary inquiries found no clinically meaningful findings regarding the role of deployment or post-concussive symptoms, and mixed findings regarding the effect of posttraumatic stress symptoms on neuropsychological performance among the three tested modalities.

This study investigated the effects of lesion presence within larger brain networks (e.g., default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and mentalizing network (MN)) in the chronic phase of a pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the effect on social function. We compared children with a TBI to children with an orthopedic injury (OI) with three different aims. The first aim was to determine whether network volume differed by group (e.g., TBI vs. OI). Second, investigate if lesion presence in a sub component region of the network resulted in total network volume loss for that network. Finally, learn whether network volume would predict outcome on the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2). Approximately 184 participants (65% male; 70% Caucasian) between the ages of 6-17 years completed testing and a structural MRI scan in the chronic stage (at least one-year post-injury) of the injury. Injury severity included complicated mild, moderate, and severe TBI. Radiological findings were analyzed using recommendations from the Common Data Elements' core (presence or absence of a lesion) and supplementary (lesion type and location) recommendations. Volumetrics for all participants were obtained with FreeSurfer to quantify total network volumes for the DMN, SN, and MN. The parent of each participant completed a behavioral measure for externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Three sets of statistical analyses were completed, including multivariate analysis of covariance, analysis of covariance, and multiple regression, for each of the three aims of the study, respectively. There were significant differences in total DMN volume between the two groups and participants with lesions solely in the MN had lower total MN volume. Moreover, lower total MN volume was associated with worse functioning on measures of externalizing and internalizing behaviors. The larger implications, including developmental and social implications, of these findings are discussed.

Sammanfattning/Abstract Brundin Larsson, Sara (2022). Hjärntrötthet- ”Det är detta att det är osynligt”. Specialpedagogprogrammet, Institutionen för skolutveckling och ledarskap, Lärande och samhälle, Malmö universitet, 90 hp. Förväntat kunskapsbidrag Min önskan är att uppmärksamma hjärntrötthet hos barn och unga och vilka konsekvenser en sådan trötthet kan innebära för en skolelev. Hur resonerar elever och deras vårdnadshavare om skolans bemötande och vad har mötet betytt för barnet eller den unge i deras skolarbete. Studien vill därmed ge ett bidrag till vad skolpersonal, men i synnerhet specialpedagoger, bör känna till om hjärntrötthet och vilka anpassningar drabbade kan vara hjälpta av under kortare eller längre tid. Syfte och frågeställningar Syftet med studien är att, genom livsvärldsberättelser, öka kunskapen om vilka behov elever med hjärntrötthet kan ha och hur det kan påverka deras vardag i skolan, utifrån ett elev- och vårdnadshavarperspektiv. Ytterligare ett syfte är att beskriva informanternas upplevelser av samarbetet med skolan och de anpassningar som gjorts där. Vilka svårigheter och behov upplever hjärntrötta elever, och deras vårdnadshavare, att de har? Hur har elever och vårdnadshavare upplevt mötet med skolan och de anpassningar man gjort för att möta deras behov? Vad anser informanterna att pedagoger särskilt bör tänka på när de möter elever med hjärntrötthet? Teori I denna studie används livsvärldsfenomenologin som teoretiskt ramverk (Bengtsson & Berndtsson, 2015).  Anledningen till valet av ett livsvärldsfenomenologiskt perspektiv på denna studie är att genom intervjuer kunna få ta del av elevers och deras vårdnadshavares upplevelser av hur det är att leva med hjärntrötthet som ung elev, samt hur informanterna upplevt samarbetet med skolan. Ansatsen möjliggör att få ta del av deras livsvärld kring hjärntrötthet. De olika teoretiska begreppen; subjekt, sammanflätningar, regional värld, levd kropp och instrument används som en grund och ram för att förstå och tolka informanternas livsberättelser. Metod Detta är en kvalitativ studie där tre elever och deras vårdnadshavare intervjuats om sina upplevelser av mötet med skolan som hjärntrött elev. Eftersom en önskan fanns om ett öppet samtal, med mina forskningsfrågor som utgångspunkt, valdes semistrukturerade intervjuer. Resultat Genom informanternas livsberättelser framkommer att det är krävande att befinna sig i miljöer med mycket ljud. Efter en tids exponering för mycket ljud får de ont i huvudet och dagar som är extra utmanande kan innebära att de måste ligga och vila resten av dagen hemma, eller flera dagar för att återfå energi. De har alla behov av att ibland kunna komma ifrån klassrummet, speciellt då det är pratigt, för att få sitta i en lugn miljö.        Avgränsning av arbetsuppgifter finns också ett stort behov av. Att få mer tid för att slutföra arbetsuppgifter, eller dela upp olika moment med pauser emellan, skulle medföra att de både mår bättre och kan prestera bättre i skolan. Informanterna uttrycker också att det är viktigt att de blir lyssnade på och att man tar deras mående på allvar.        Elever som lider av hjärntrötthet har behov som många gånger inte behöver vara så svåra för skolan att anpassa sig till men dessa elever kan bli missförstådda, då kunskap om hjärntrötthet inte är så utbredd. Känslighet för mycket ljud, mycket information och högt tempo gör dem sårbara. Då vi i skolan ska utforma lärmiljöer där alla elever ges möjlighet att prestera utifrån sina förutsättningar är det viktigt att sprida kunskap om hjärntrötthet. Nyckelord Anpassningar, barncancer, hjärnskakning, hjärntrötthet, pauser

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Though the current understanding of language processing is incomplete, it has been established that the left hemisphere is dominant for language in the majority of the population. Damage to language centers of the brain and to white matter tracts connecting these language centers results in a language deficit known as aphasia. Neuroplasticity in the brain can often compensate for these language deficits by strengthening neuronal connections between the right and left hemisphere, or by enhancing the neuronal connectivity of undamaged areas in the left hemisphere. Thus the brain can compensate for damaged language centers by using alternative cortical areas. These compensatory language areas may be homologous areas of the right hemisphere, or other undamaged portions of the left hemisphere. Various imaging techniques have been used to demonstrate this phenomenon. The current neuroimaging technique known as quantitative electroencephalographic brain imaging allows investigators to evaluate the functional anatomical location of language processing. When this mapping is overlaid on a magnetic resonance image, investigators are able to locate areas in the brain of the participant that are electrically activated during elicited speech tasks. This method was used in a single case study to examine the brain of an individual with a unique traumatic brain injury in which the anterior portion of the individual's left temporal lobe was surgically removed and considerable recovery of language subsequently occurred. The stimulus for the quantitative electroencephalography included identifying syntactically incorrect sentences. Imaging results from the participant with traumatic brain injury were compared to imaging results obtained from an age-matched control. Differences in quantitative electroencephalography between the two participants included a delayed P1-N1-P2 response and an absent P600 in the participant with traumatic brain injury. Behavioral results include an increased number of incorrect responses from the participant with traumatic brain injury as compared to the control participant. These results imply an interesting cortical distribution of language processing that could be further assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose To examine the effects of Animal Assisted Therapies with Farm Animals (AATF) with domesticated ducks on depression and anxiety. Aim The proposed study will use single-group time series design and collect survey data to explore the changes in anxiety and depression in patients exposed to AATF. The study will be guided by the Self-Efficacy Theory. The study will involve 30 patients with TBI living in The Crumley House Rehabilitation Center in Limestone, TN. Hypothesis. Engaging in AATF with domesticated ducks will be associated with decrease in anxiety and depression. Approach - Theoretical Framework. Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory will be used to guide this study examining AATF effects on anxiety and depression in patients with TBI. Salutogenesis, Social Support, and Self-Efficacy theories were compared in order to select the best theoretical framework for this study. Methods Time series Quasi-experimental design. The study will examine the effects of AATF on anxiety and depression among patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Because of the unique characteristics of the patient population (all patients have history of TBI) in this facility no other rehabilitation center can be utilized for comparison. Time series design will ensure that all of the participants will be exposed to the therapeutic intervention, it will not be affected by the conventional treatments the participants are receiving. Projected Results and Anticipated Limitations It is expected that AATF will be effective in reduction of Anxiety and Depression symptoms in the patient with TBI Limitations • Possibility of dropouts may compromise sample size and lead to lower statistical power. • AATF based intervention is impossible to conduct in blinded environment. That in turn may contribute to participant’s expectation of positive outcomes of the interventions in this study. This may be considered an example of subject bias. • AATF treatment cannot be completely standardized. Because the treatment is based on interaction with live animals, animal behavior may be different during each visit to the duck pen. Because of that there is a possibility that the study cannot be exactly replicated. • The participants may have different duration or complexity of treatments for anxiety and depression. This may present a confounding factor that we are not able to control in this study. Conclusion This is a pilot study to examine the effects of AATF with domesticated ducks. This study may serve as a basis in developing more research on this topic with expanding the methodology and sampling in the future.

No description available.