Development and Pilot Implementation of a Theory-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation Protocol for Adults With Chronic Cognitive Complaints After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the development of and pilot feasibility outcomes for a strategy-based, brief, intensive cognitive rehabilitation intervention delivered to U.S. service members and veterans with mild traumatic brain injury in a recently completed 3-year pragmatic clinical trial: Symptom-Targeted Approach to Rehabilitation for Concussion (STAR-C).

The Influence of Neck Pain and Sleep Quantity on Headache Burden in Service Members With and Without Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: An Observational Study.

Introduction: Headache is the most overwhelmingly reported symptom following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The upper cervical spine has been implicated in headache etiology, and cervical dysfunction may result in neck pain that influences the experience of headache. Sleep problem is the second most reported symptom following mTBI.

Symptomatic Recovery from Concussion in Military Service Members with and Without Associated Bodily Injuries.

Research has found that service members (SMs) with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and co-occurring bodily injuries endorse lower chronic postconcussive symptom severity than SMs with mTBI and no bodily injuries. Investigations were conducted with primarily post-9/11 war-era SMs with blast injuries. The current study explores these findings in a cohort of more heterogeneous and recently evaluated military SM.

Integrating social services with disease investigation: A randomized trial of COVID-19 high-touch contact tracing.

COVID-19 exposed and exacerbated health disparities, and a core challenge has been how to adapt pandemic response and public health in light of these disproportionate health burdens. Responding to this challenge, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department designed a model of "high-touch" contact tracing that integrated social services with disease investigation, providing continued support and resource linkage for clients from structurally vulnerable communities. We report results from a cluster randomized trial of 5,430 cases from February to May 2021 to assess the ability of high-touch contact tracing to aid with isolation and quarantine.

Grooved Pegboard adds incremental value over memory-apparent performance validity tests in predicting psychiatric symptom report.

The present study evaluated whether Grooved Pegboard (GPB), when used as a performance validity test (PVT), can incrementally predict psychiatric symptom report elevations beyond memory-apparent PVTs. Participants ( = 111) were military personnel and were predominantly White (84%), male (76%), with a mean age of 43 ( 12) and having on average 16 years of education ( = 2). Individuals with disorders potentially compromising motor dexterity were excluded.

Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory Item-Level Change Complements the Reliable Change Method.

Objective: To determine correspondence between the statistically derived 8-point reliable change index for the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) against clinically significant item-level change in symptom severity from intake to discharge for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Setting: Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas.

Patients: In total, 655 active-duty service members with a diagnosis of mTBI who received treatment and completed self-report measures between 2007 and 2020.

Sub-occipital muscle pressure pain thresholds correlate to direction of symptomatic active comfortable sustained neck rotation testing in post-concussive headache: a retrospective observational cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To compare sub-occipital muscle pressure sub pain thresholds (PPTs) in individuals with persistent-post-traumatic-headache (PPTH) in relation to the presence or not of cranial nerve and/or autonomic symptoms reported during sustained neck rotation (SNR).

Background: Previously 81% of military service members with PPTH demonstrated symptoms with SNR up to 60 seconds. Of these, 54% reported symptoms in one (Uni-Symp) and 46% in both directions of rotation (Bi-Symp).

Evaluation of Allocation Schemes of COVID-19 Testing Resources in a Community-Based Door-to-Door Testing Program.

Importance: Overcoming social barriers to COVID-19 testing is an important issue, especially given the demographic disparities in case incidence rates and testing. Delivering culturally appropriate testing resources using data-driven approaches in partnership with community-based health workers is promising, but little data are available on the design and effect of such interventions.

Objectives: To assess and evaluate a door-to-door COVID-19 testing initiative that allocates visits by community health workers by selecting households in areas with a high number of index cases, by using uncertainty sampling for areas where the positivity rate may be highest, and by relying on local knowledge of the health workers.

NSI and PCL-5 Normative Tables for Active Duty Service Members Affected by Traumatic Brain Injury.

Introduction: Many service members (SMs) have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. Currently, military treatment facilities do not have access to established normative tables which can assist clinicians in gauging and comparing patient-reported symptoms. The aim of this study is to provide average scores for both the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) for active duty SMs based upon varying demographic groups.

Possible autonomic or cranial nerve symptoms triggered during sustained neck rotation in persistent headache post-concussion: a retrospective observational cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To examine and categorize symptoms occurring within 60 s of vertebrobasilar-insufficiency (VBI) testing (left- and right-neck rotation) in individuals with persistent post-traumatic headache.

Background: As part of routine clinical cervical screening in our patients, we found extended VBI testing often triggered additional symptoms. Therefore, we aimed to document the prevalence and precise symptoms occurring during each movement direction of this test and determine any demographic or baseline signs or symptoms associated with a positive test.

Characteristics of Responders and Nonresponders in a Military Postconcussion Rehabilitation Program.

Objective: To characterize treatment responders and nonresponders as measured by the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) in order to understand whether certain traits in our patient population would characterize favorable response.

Setting: Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas.

Patients: In total, 655 active duty military patients with a diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) who received treatment between 2007 and 2020 and completed self-report measures as part of routine care.

A language-matching model to improve equity and efficiency of COVID-19 contact tracing.

Contact tracing is a pillar of COVID-19 response, but language access and equity have posed major obstacles. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected minority communities with many non-English-speaking members. Language discordance can increase processing times and hamper the trust building necessary for effective contact tracing.

Validation of grooved pegboard cutoffs as an additional embedded measure of performance validity.

Objective: Using embedded performance validity (PVT) comparisons, Erdodi et al. suggested that Grooved Pegboard (GPB) T-score cutoffs for either hand ( 29) or both hands ( 31) could be used as additional embedded PVTs. The current study evaluated the relationship between these proposed cutoff scores and established PVTs (Medical Symptom Validity Test [MSVT]; Non-Verbal Medical Symptom Validity Test [NV-MSVT], and Reliable Digit Span [RDS]).

Effects of cocaine and HIV on decision-making abilities.

Our study aimed to understand the impact of cocaine dependence on high-risk decision-making abilities in individuals with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and individuals with cocaine dependence. We recruited 99 participants (27 HIV/Cocaine, 20 HIV Only, 26 Cocaine Only, and 26 Healthy Controls). The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) was applied to assess decision-making abilities.

Single-Item Versus Multiple-Item Headache Ratings in Service Members Seeking Treatment for Brain Injury.

Introduction: Headaches are the most common complaint after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and a significant cause of morbidity and disability among military personnel. Currently, there are a several measures which can assess headache disability, but there is a significant burden to assess each individual symptom given this heterogeneous polymorbid population. The objective of this proposed study was to validate the single headache item from the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) compared to the 6-item Headache Impact Test (HIT-6).

Sleep problems contribute to post-concussive symptoms in service members with a history of mild traumatic brain injury without posttraumatic stress disorder or major depressive disorder.

Background: Many with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) experience sleep problems, which are also common symptoms of stress-related and mood disorders.

Objective: To determine if sleep problems contributed unique variance to post-concussive symptoms above and beyond symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder/major depressive disorder (PTSD/MDD) after mild TBI.

Methods: 313 active duty service members with a history of mild TBI completed sleep, PTSD, and mood symptom questionnaires, which were used to determine contributions to the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory.

Correlates of Depression in U.S. Military Service Members With a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objectives: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are identified as signature injuries of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Statistics have confirmed a high incidence of PTSD among military personnel with mild TBI (mTBI) who served in these conflicts. Although receiving less attention, individuals with a history of mTBI are also at increased risk for depressive disorders.

Symptom Reporting Patterns of US Military Service Members with a History of Concussion According to Duty Status.

Objective: To compare symptom reporting patterns of service members with a history of concussion based on work status: full duty, limited duty, or in the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB)/disability process.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 181 service members with a history of concussion (MEB n = 56; limited duty n = 62; full duty n = 63). Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) Validity-10 cutoff (>22) and Mild Brain Injury Atypical Symptoms Scale (mBIAS) cutoffs (≥10 and ≥8) were used to evaluate potential over-reporting of symptoms.

Adversity and Resilience Are Associated with Outcome after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Military Service Members.

The objective of this study was to assess the associations between resilience, adversity, post-concussion symptoms, and post-traumatic stress symptom reporting after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). We hypothesized that resilience would be associated with less symptom reporting, and adversity would be associated with greater symptom reporting. This was a cross-sectional study of retrospective data collected for an ongoing TBI repository.

Veterinary Pharmaceutics: An Opportunity for Interprofessional Education in New Zealand?

Globally pharmacists are becoming increasingly involved in veterinary medicine; however, little is known about the level of interest for pharmacists playing a larger role in animal treatment in New Zealand. A key stakeholder in any progression of pharmacists becoming more involved in the practice of veterinary pharmacy is the veterinary profession. The aim of this study was to investigate views of veterinarians and veterinary students on the role of pharmacists supporting veterinarians with advice on animal medicines.

Effects of Delay Duration on the WMS Logical Memory Performance of Older Adults with Probable Alzheimer's Disease, Probable Vascular Dementia, and Normal Cognition.

Objective: To examine how the duration of time delay between Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) Logical Memory I and Logical Memory II (LM) affected participants' recall performance.

Method: There are 46,146 total Logical Memory administrations to participants diagnosed with either Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), or normal cognition in the National Alzheimer's Disease Coordinating Center's Uniform Data Set.

Results: Only 50% of the sample was administered the standard 20-35 min of delay as specified by WMS-R and WMS-III.

Age-related changes in amygdala-frontal connectivity during emotional face processing from childhood into young adulthood.

The ability to process and respond to emotional facial expressions is a critical skill for healthy social and emotional development. There has been growing interest in understanding the neural circuitry underlying development of emotional processing, with previous research implicating functional connectivity between amygdala and frontal regions. However, existing work has focused on threatening emotional faces, raising questions regarding the extent to which these developmental patterns are specific to threat or to emotional face processing more broadly.

Development of superficial white matter and its structural interplay with cortical gray matter in children and adolescents.

Healthy human brain undergoes significant changes during development. The developmental trajectory of superficial white matter (SWM) is less understood relative to cortical gray matter (GM) and deep white matter. In this study, a multimodal imaging strategy was applied to vertexwise map SWM microstructure and cortical thickness to characterize their developmental pattern and elucidate SWM-GM associations in children and adolescents.