This paper examines the expression of emotion in narrative speech among individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI). We are particularly interested in the effects of ABI on the use of metaphor (c.f. Stroinska et al., 2014). Conceptualizing traumatic events and sharing them with others is crucial for prognostic purposes and reflected in the speech patterns of those who experience some level of post-traumatic growth (PTG). Emotion and metaphor constitute a relatively unexplored domain within the ABI community and merit further research given the prevalence of emotional disturbances following a brain injury. This study explores emotional valence (i.e. the ‘pleasantness’ of the emotions invoked) and concreteness (i.e. how perceptible the referent of the word is) in metaphorical constructions. Emotional norm data was analysed using a corpus of approximately 14,000 commonly used English words ranking valence and arousal (Warriner et al., 2013; Kuperman et al., 2014). Thirteen semi-structured interviews with ABI survivors were conducted at a rehabilitation facility eliciting narrative recall of traumatic events and their experience across three temporal representations, namely past, present, and future. Results highlight importance of demographic information in recovery outcomes, which in our study accounts for 32% of the variance in emotion. Measures of valence revealed significantly increased use of positive metaphor over time, while the analysis of concreteness indicated events further in time represented more abstractly. Together, the findings shed some new light on emotional outcomes following ABI and indicate possible uses that figurative language may provide in understanding PTG. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Metaphors represent one important method to interpret the world around us. Humans rely on metaphorical language to capture the essence of our experiences in meaningful and relatable ways. This is particularly true of those who have experienced a traumatic event, such as an acquired brain injury (ABI). Conveying feelings associated with trauma can often be challenging for individuals since the way they interact and perceive the world changes as a result. The shifting perspective is often described using metaphor to organize thoughts and give meaning to trauma. The current study examines the role of metaphor as a tool to uncover emotion following ABI and explore the implications it has in understanding psychological growth following the event. By exploring how abstract and emotional metaphors were, our results revealed that participants in the study had more positive elements in their metaphor use when describing their life over time and imagining the future.

No description available.

The pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory mechanisms have been implicated in various human diseases including neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, there is only limited information available on the etiology in the progression of neurological damage to brain. The emergence of tissue engineering with the growing interest in mechanistic studies of brain injury now raises great opportunities to study complex physiological and pathophysiological process in vitro. Therefore, the prime goals of this study include: (1) Determination of the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for blast- and radiation-induced brain injuries and (2) Development of a three-dimensional (3D) model system in order to mimic in vivo-like microenvironments to further broaden our knowledge in pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory mechanisms and their cellular responses within 3D constructs. In the first study, we demonstrated that blast exposure induced specific molecular and cellular alterations in pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory environments in the brain and neuronal loss with adverse behavioral outcome. The results provide evidence that pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory environments in the brain could play a potential role in blast-induced neuronal loss and behavioral deficits. In the second study, we investigated that fractionated whole-brain irradiation induced specific molecular and cellular alterations in pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory environments in the brain along with elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating protein (NOX-2) and microglial activation. Additionally, the contribution of NOX-2 in fractionated whole-brain radiation-induced oxidative stress was observed by dramatic amelioration of ROS generation after pharmacological inhibition of NOX-2. These results support that NOX-2 may play a pivotal role in fractionated whole-brain radiation-induced pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory pathways in mouse brain. In the third study, we developed an in vitro 3D experimental model of brain inflammation by encapsulating microglia in collagen hydrogel with computational analysis of 3D constructs. The results indicated that our newly developed in vitro 3D model system provides a more physiologically relevant environment to mimic in vivo responses. In conclusion, these data may be beneficial in defining a cellular and molecular basis of pathophysiological mechanisms of brain injuries. Furthermore, it may provide new opportunities for preventive and therapeutic interventions for patients with brain injuries and associated neurological disorders. / Ph. D.

Vestibular-related problems (dizziness, vertigo, and imbalance) are common sequelae following concussion and blast exposures that result in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). However, the anatomical substrate connected to these dysfunctions is not well understood. To provide a better understanding of this area, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) as a platform for studying vestibular-related mTBI in the human brain. Briefly, VBM is a group comparison study which evaluates structural differences in magnetic resonance (MR) images between agematched groups of individuals (11 vestibular TBI patients and 10 controls). Using the VBM-8 Toolbox and statistical probability mapping (SPM), MRI images were segmented into gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid, normalized into a standardized anatomical space, and then analyzed statistically for significant anatomical differences between groups. Based on the VBM analysis, most notable differences in brain anatomy were characterized by reductions in gray matter volume observed in the middle frontal gyrus, mesial frontal lobe, and in the insular area in the left mesial temporal lobe. These findings provide a preliminary analysis of distributed gray matter changes in key frontal and temporal areas of the brain associated with mTBI related vestibular dysfunction.

Objectives: The World Health Organisation has predicted that by 2020, brain injury will be one of the leading causes of disability in the world (Hyder et al, 2007). Psychological difficulties are common in this population, with up to 60% of individuals experiencing mental health difficulties (Acquired Bain injury Outreach Service, 2012). Therefore, with the rapid rise in referrals, services are under increasing pressure to provide innovative ways of offering effective and cost-efficient care. This research aimed to evaluate a novel transdiagnostic Acceptance and Commitment Therapy group approach for supporting individuals adjusting to life following the diagnosis of a neurological condition. Methods: A mixed-methods waiting-list control design was used and carried out across two sites of Hertfordshire Neurological Outpatients Service. The outcomes of the group were assessed using four outcome measures evaluating acceptance, self-identified difficulties, low mood and anxiety, as well as a semi-structured interview to identify mediators of change. Results: Ten participants from the intervention group completed, equating to a 76.9% completion rate. The results indicated that those in the intervention group made significant improvements across all measures of acceptance, self-identified difficulties and psychological distress. Those in the waiting list groups did not experience any change in these domains. The qualitative feedback from participants was also highly positive. Participants reported the usefulness of the ACT strategies, in addition to valuing being in a group with others with a range of difficulties. Participants reported greater awareness and acceptance, as well as increased activity and improved mood. Conclusions: The ACT group is a potentially effective and cost-efficient method of supporting individuals with adjustment following diagnosis of a neurological condition. Despite these promising findings it is important to acknowledge the limitations, such as the small sample size and research design. Further research would be beneficial in order to evaluate the intervention using more rigorous methods.

Objective: The long-term cognitive effects of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) and sport-related concussion (SRC) are not always clear. Higher-level longer-term cognitive difficulties can indicate enduring neurological damage, as part of a post-concussion syndrome (PCS). This study aimed to investigate whether cognitive performance and self-reported PCS symptoms of athletes (rugby players) relate to SRC and whether gender moderates these effects. Method: Eighty-six participants completed a questionnaire detailing SRC history (frequency and severity) and rated long-term symptoms using the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3 (SCAT3) symptom evaluation scales, before completing the CogState Brief Battery and STOP-IT (stop-signal response inhibition task). Results: No significant relationships between SRC dosage (frequency/severity), self-reported PCS symptoms, and cognitive test performance were identified. A greater proportion of males reported SRC compared to females, but no effect of gender was found on any of the cognitive outcome measures or self-reports of PCS symptoms. Conclusions: The results show that SRC has no observable long-term effects on cognitive test performance or PCS symptom self-reports. The analysis may have lacked power to detect effects. Analysis of individual performance over time against baseline scores may be more relevant for accurate diagnosis than relying on normative test scores. Recommendations for future research were made.

No description available.

Rapporten innehåller analysen av 26 olika situationer inom ishockey. Situationerna är hårda tacklingar från olika matchar och ligor. Analyserade tacklingar resulterade INTE i hjärnskakning, likadana situationer kan ge upphov till hjärnskakning. Målet med projektet är bland annat skapa en kontrollgrupp för studierna i hjärnskakning inom ishockey. Tidigare studier utfördes för situationer som resulterar i hjärnskakningar. Rapporten pekar kort på huvudet och nackens anatomi d.v.s. skalp, hjärnan och skallben. Begreppet hjärnskakning med dess symptom förklarades också. I valda video sekvenserna analyserades huvudets kinematik och kollisionssekvenser mellan huvud och den andra parten som kan vara en annans axel, huvud, arm eller is eller glasvägg(plexiglas). Resultatet ska komma överens med tidigare gjorda arbete. / The report includes analysis of 15 different situations in Ice-hockey. The situations are hard tackles from different matches and leagues. The analyzed tackles did Not resulted to concussion, but similar situations can be concussions. The goal of the project includes creating a control group for the studies of concussions in ice-hockey. Previous or parallel studies have been down to situations that result to concussions. The report indicates short to head and neck anatomy that is scalp, brain and skull. The concept of concussion with its symptoms explained in this report. The selected video sequences were analyzed head kinematics and collision sequences between the head and the other part that may be another person's shoulder, head, arm or ice or glass wall. When the video sequences were analyzed attempted to controll the head speed, head acceleration and the tackles angle. The results should agree with previous works.

No description available.

No description available.