Efficacy of a Repeat Testing Protocol for Cognitive Fatigue Assessment: a Preliminary Study in Postconcussive Syndrome Participants

Overview

Journal Concussion

Date 2018 Sep 12

PMID 30202588

Citations 1

Authors

Thomas F Rau

Sarjubhai A Patel

Erik E Guzik

Edmond Sorich

Alan J Pearce

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Aim: A small but notable number of individuals who suffer a concussion report ongoing cognitive difficulties. This preliminary study investigated the efficacy of repetitive test application to discern cognitive impairment in those with ongoing symptoms.

Methods: Participants (n = 17) with continuing self-reported symptoms following a concussion (∼9 months postinjury) were compared with 17 age group matched controls for working memory and word-list learning.

Results: Both groups performed similarly after the first trial for both assessments. However, in subsequent trials, the postconcussion group performed significantly worse than controls.

Discussion: While further studies to understand the mechanisms are warranted, data from this preliminary study suggest that a repetitive test application may be useful to discern cognitive fatigue in individuals who report ongoing concerns following a concussion.

Citing Articles

Mental Fatigue after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Relation to Cognitive Tests and Brain Imaging Methods.

Johansson B Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18(11).

PMID: 34199339 PMC: 8199529. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18115955.

References

French L, Lange R, Brickell T . Subjective cognitive complaints and neuropsychological test performance following military-related traumatic brain injury. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2014; 51(6):933-50. DOI: 10.1682/JRRD.2013.10.0226. View

Johansson B, Berglund P, Ronnback L . Mental fatigue and impaired information processing after mild and moderate traumatic brain injury. Brain Inj. 2009; 23(13-14):1027-40. DOI: 10.3109/02699050903421099. View

Baddeley A . The fractionation of working memory. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1996; 93(24):13468-72. PMC: 33632. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.93.24.13468. View

OConnor C, Colantonio A, Polatajko H . Long term symptoms and limitations of activity of people with traumatic brain injury: a ten-year follow-up. Psychol Rep. 2005; 97(1):169-79. DOI: 10.2466/pr0.97.1.169-179. View

Kerr Z, Marshall S, Guskiewicz K . Reliability of concussion history in former professional football players. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011; 44(3):377-82. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31823240f2. View

Broshek D, De Marco A, Freeman J . A review of post-concussion syndrome and psychological factors associated with concussion. Brain Inj. 2014; 29(2):228-37. DOI: 10.3109/02699052.2014.974674. View

Ryan L, Warden D . Post concussion syndrome. Int Rev Psychiatry. 2004; 15(4):310-6. DOI: 10.1080/09540260310001606692. View

Petersen R, Smith G, Waring S, Ivnik R, Tangalos E, Kokmen E . Mild cognitive impairment: clinical characterization and outcome. Arch Neurol. 1999; 56(3):303-8. DOI: 10.1001/archneur.56.3.303. View

de Kruijk J, Leffers P, Menheere P, Meerhoff S, Rutten J, Twijnstra A . Prediction of post-traumatic complaints after mild traumatic brain injury: early symptoms and biochemical markers. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2002; 73(6):727-32. PMC: 1757354. DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.73.6.727. View

10.

Baek M, Kim H, Kim S . Comparison between the story recall test and the word-list learning test in Korean patients with mild cognitive impairment and early stage of Alzheimer's disease. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2012; 34(4):396-404. DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2011.645020. View

11.

Pearce A, Hoy K, Rogers M, Corp D, Maller J, Drury H . The long-term effects of sports concussion on retired Australian football players: a study using transcranial magnetic stimulation. J Neurotrauma. 2014; 31(13):1139-45. DOI: 10.1089/neu.2013.3219. View

12.

Stulemeijer M, van der Werf S, Bleijenberg G, Biert J, Brauer J, Vos P . Recovery from mild traumatic brain injury: a focus on fatigue. J Neurol. 2006; 253(8):1041-7. DOI: 10.1007/s00415-006-0156-5. View

13.

Nordin L, Moller M, Julin P, Bartfai A, Hashim F, Li T . Post mTBI fatigue is associated with abnormal brain functional connectivity. Sci Rep. 2016; 6:21183. PMC: 4754765. DOI: 10.1038/srep21183. View

14.

Belmont A, Agar N, Hugeron C, Gallais B, Azouvi P . Fatigue and traumatic brain injury. Ann Readapt Med Phys. 2006; 49(6):283-8, 370-4. DOI: 10.1016/j.annrmp.2006.04.017. View

15.

Kohl A, Wylie G, Genova H, Hillary F, DeLuca J . The neural correlates of cognitive fatigue in traumatic brain injury using functional MRI. Brain Inj. 2009; 23(5):420-32. DOI: 10.1080/02699050902788519. View

16.

van Zomeren A, van den Burg W . Residual complaints of patients two years after severe head injury. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1985; 48(1):21-8. PMC: 1028178. DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.48.1.21. View

17.

Rabin L, Pare N, Saykin A, Brown M, Wishart H, Flashman L . Differential memory test sensitivity for diagnosing amnestic mild cognitive impairment and predicting conversion to Alzheimer's disease. Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn. 2009; 16(3):357-76. PMC: 3114447. DOI: 10.1080/13825580902825220. View

18.

Mateer C, Sira C . Cognitive and emotional consequences of TBI: intervention strategies for vocational rehabilitation. NeuroRehabilitation. 2007; 21(4):315-26. View

19.

van der Naalt J, van Zomeren A, Sluiter W, MINDERHOUD J . One year outcome in mild to moderate head injury: the predictive value of acute injury characteristics related to complaints and return to work. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1999; 66(2):207-13. PMC: 1736194. DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.66.2.207. View

20.

Arenth P, Russell K, Scanlon J, Kessler L, Ricker J . Corpus callosum integrity and neuropsychological performance after traumatic brain injury: a diffusion tensor imaging study. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2013; 29(2):E1-E10. PMC: 4918513. DOI: 10.1097/HTR.0b013e318289ede5. View