Longitudinal Examination of Resilience After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study.

Objectives: To evaluate (1) the trajectory of resilience during the first year after a moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI); (2) factors associated with resilience at 3, 6, and 12 months postinjury; and (3) changing relationships over time between resilience and other factors.

Design: Longitudinal analysis of an observational cohort.

Setting: Five inpatient rehabilitation centers.

Women Physicians Are Underrepresented in Recognition Awards From the Association of Academic Physiatrists.

Objective: Determine representation by gender for individual recognition awards presented to physicians by the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP).

Design: Cross-sectional survey was used. Lists of individual recognition award recipients for the 27-yr history of the AAP awards (1990-2016) were analyzed.

White matter abnormalities in mild traumatic brain injury with and without post-traumatic stress disorder: a subject-specific diffusion tensor imaging study.

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are often associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In cases of chronic mTBI, accurate diagnosis can be challenging due to the overlapping symptoms this condition shares with PTSD. Furthermore, mTBIs are heterogeneous and not easily observed using conventional neuroimaging tools, despite the fact that diffuse axonal injuries are the most common injury.

Post-traumatic epilepsy associations with mental health outcomes in the first two years after moderate to severe TBI: A TBI Model Systems analysis.

Purpose: Research suggests that there are reciprocal relationships between mental health (MH) disorders and epilepsy risk. However, MH relationships to post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) have not been explored. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess associations between PTE and frequency of depression and/or anxiety in a cohort of individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI who received acute inpatient rehabilitation.

Characteristics and functional outcomes of chordoma patients admitted for inpatient rehabilitation.

Purpose: To describe the population and functional changes observed after an inpatient rehabilitation facility stay in chordoma patients Materials and Methods: We conducted a consecutive series retrospective review of patients with chordoma, admitted to an academic inpatient rehabilitation facility after surgical resection from 2010 to 2015. Information regarding demographic, tumor- and surgery-specific data, lengths of stay, complications, admission and discharge functional independence measure scores was collected.

Results: A total of 40 patients with a diagnosis of chordoma were admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility postoperatively were included for analysis.

Contribution of Perceived Cognitive Functioning to Quality of Life in Service Members and Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Perceived cognitive impairment is a core clinical feature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may be an important determinant of quality of life (QOL) in those who suffer from this disorder. Using a clinical data repository, we evaluated this hypothesis in a cross-sectional sample of U.S.

Rehospitalization Over 10 Years Among Survivors of TBI: A National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study.

Objective: To describe the rates and causes for rehospitalization over 10 years after moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), and to characterize longitudinal trajectories of the probability of rehospitalization using generalized linear mixed models and individual growth curve models conditioned on factors that help explain individual variability in rehospitalization risk over time.

Design: Secondary analysis of data from a multicenter longitudinal cohort study.

Setting: Acute inpatient rehabilitation facilities and community follow-up.

Variables affecting functional improvement in chordoma patients admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility: A retrospective review.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review of patients after surgical resection of chordoma admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Objective: To evaluate the characteristics associated with improving two or more functional levels and therefore classifying as a substantial responder after an inpatient rehabilitation facility stay in post-resection chordoma patients.

Setting: Acute inpatient rehabilitation facility in the United States.

Baseline cognitive test performance and concussion-like symptoms among adolescent athletes with ADHD: examining differences based on medication use.

Objective: Youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) perform more poorly on preseason cognitive testing and report more baseline concussion-like symptoms but prior studies have not examined the influence of medication use on test performance or symptom reporting. This study investigated whether medication use is relevant when interpreting baseline ImPACT® results from student athletes with ADHD.

Method: Participants were 39,247 adolescent athletes, ages 13-18 (mean age = 15.

Research Frontiers in Traumatic Brain Injury: Defining the Injury.

With the continued advancement in technology, such as increasingly sophisticated neuroimaging parameters, and the ongoing development of various scientific fields, like serum and blood biomarkers, genetics, and physiology, traumatic brain injury (TBI) research is a dynamic field of study. TBI remains a significant public health concern and research has continued to grow exponentially over the past decade. This review provides an overview of the frontiers of TBI research, from sports concussion to severe TBI, from acute and subacute injury to long-term/chronic outcomes, from assessment and management to prognosis, specifically examining recent neuroimaging, biomarkers, genetics, and physiologic studies.

Impaired Cognitive Performance in Youth Athletes Exposed to Repetitive Head Impacts.

Worldwide, more than 22 million children and adolescents are exposed to repetitive head impacts (RHI) in soccer. Evidence indicates cumulative effects on brain structure, but it is not known whether exposure to RHI affects cognitive improvement in adolescents. The aim of the study was to determine whether exposure to RHI while heading the ball in soccer affects improvement in cognitive performance in adolescents over time.

Female Physicians Are Underrepresented in Recognition Awards from the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Background: Medical specialty societies are important resources for physicians in advancing their careers. There is a gap in the literature regarding gender disparities within these societies. This study assesses one area where disparities may exist: recognition awards.

MR Spectroscopy Findings in Retired Professional Rugby League Players.

The aim of this study was to examine brain neurometabolite concentrations in retired rugby league players who had a history of numerous self-reported concussions. Participants were 16 retired professional rugby league players (ages 30-45 years) with an extensive history of concussion and participation in contact sports, and 16 age- and education-matched controls who had no history of neurotrauma or participation in contact sports. All completed a clinical interview, psychological and cognitive testing, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) investigation.

Multi-site harmonization of diffusion MRI data in a registration framework.

Diffusion MRI (dMRI) data acquired on different scanners varies significantly in its content throughout the brain even if the acquisition parameters are nearly identical. Thus, proper harmonization of such data sets is necessary to increase the sample size and thereby the statistical power of neuroimaging studies. In this paper, we present a novel approach to harmonize dMRI data (the raw signal, instead of dMRI derived measures such as fractional anisotropy) using rotation invariant spherical harmonic (RISH) features embedded within a multi-modal image registration framework.

Factor Structure of ImPACT® in Adolescent Student Athletes.

Objective: ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is a computerized neuropsychological screening battery, which is widely used to measure the acute effects of sport-related concussion and to monitor recovery from injury. This study examined the factor structure of ImPACT in several samples of high school student athletes. We hypothesized that a 2-factor structure would be present in all samples.

Defining recovery neurobiology of injured spinal cord by synthetic matrix-assisted hMSC implantation.

Mesenchymal stromal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from adult tissues offer tangible potential for regenerative medicine, given their feasibility for autologous transplantation. MSC research shows encouraging results in experimental stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and neurotrauma models. However, further translational progress has been hampered by poor MSC graft survival, jeopardizing cellular and molecular bases for neural repair in vivo.

Transcranial, Red/Near-Infrared Light-Emitting Diode Therapy to Improve Cognition in Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury.

We review the general topic of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and our research utilizing transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) to improve cognition in chronic TBI using red/near-infrared (NIR) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to deliver light to the head. tPBM improves mitochondrial function increasing oxygen consumption, production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and improving cellular energy stores. Nitric oxide is released from the cells increasing regional blood flow in the brain.

Duration of Posttraumatic Amnesia Predicts Neuropsychological and Global Outcome in Complicated Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objectives: Examine the effects of posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) duration on neuropsychological and global recovery from 1 to 6 months after complicated mild traumatic brain injury (cmTBI).

Participants: A total of 330 persons with cmTBI defined as Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13 to 15 in emergency department, with well-defined abnormalities on neuroimaging.

Methods: Enrollment within 24 hours of injury with follow-up at 1, 3, and 6 months.

Statements of Agreement From the Targeted Evaluation and Active Management (TEAM) Approaches to Treating Concussion Meeting Held in Pittsburgh, October 15-16, 2015.

Background: Conventional management for concussion involves prescribed rest and progressive return to activity. Recent evidence challenges this notion and suggests that active approaches may be effective for some patients. Previous concussion consensus statements provide limited guidance regarding active treatment.

Incidence and risk factors of posttraumatic seizures following traumatic brain injury: A Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study.

Objective: Determine incidence of posttraumatic seizure (PTS) following traumatic brain injury (TBI) among individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI requiring rehabilitation and surviving at least 5 years.

Methods: Using the prospective TBI Model Systems National Database, we calculated PTS incidence during acute hospitalization, and at years 1, 2, and 5 postinjury in a continuously followed cohort enrolled from 1989 to 2000 (n = 795). Incidence rates were stratified by risk factors, and adjusted relative risk (RR) was calculated.

Mindful creativity matters: trajectories of reported functioning after severe traumatic brain injury as a function of mindful creativity in patients' relatives: a multilevel analysis.

Objective: The objective of the present investigation was to examine the association of mindful creativity with the trajectory of recovery (emotional, interpersonal, cognitive, and total functioning) of patients with severe TBI.

Methods: This was drawn from a subsample of an adult prospective cohort study on severe TBI in Switzerland; patients and their relatives were assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months (patients N = 176, relatives N = 176). Predictor measures were assessed using Mindful Creativity Scale-short form and time (trajectory of functioning of the patient over time).

Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of the Tau PET Radiotracer F-T807 (F-AV-1451) in Human Subjects.

F-T807 is a PET radiotracer developed for imaging tau protein aggregates, which are implicated in neurologic disorders including Alzheimer disease and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The current study characterizes F-T807 pharmacokinetics in human subjects using dynamic PET imaging and metabolite-corrected arterial input functions. Nine subjects (4 controls, 3 with a history of TBI, 2 with mild cognitive impairment due to suspected Alzheimer disease) underwent dynamic PET imaging for up to 120 min after bolus injection of F-T807 with arterial blood sampling.