Traumatic Brain Injury, Veterans
Conditions
Keywords
Recovery, Magnetic resonance imaging, Awareness, Neurologic deficits
Brief summary
This study will use MRI imaging, cognitive testing and outcome questionnaires to determine how the brain recovers and reorganizes after an injury.
Detailed description
The extent of recovery from brain injury is often difficult to predict because of our limited understanding of how the brain changes as it heals. New brain imaging methods may help in this regard. One imaging technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has made it possible to study the brain at work; that is, we can see regions of the brain that are active during particular tasks such as focusing attention, making decisions, or remembering words and pictures. Another MRI method called diffusion tensor imaging provides information on the pathways between brain regions that may be altered with brain injury. The goals of this research are to 1) determine the brain regions involved in making accurate judgments about one's abilities and disabilities after a brain injury and whether damage to these brain areas affects outcome; and 2) examine how recovery of cognitive and physical abilities relates to changes in brain function over time. In order to accomplish the first goal we will recruit Veterans who have sustained a head injury and matched control subjects. For the second goal, we are asking patients and controls who have previously participated in brain injury research with our lab to come back for another visit at three years post-injury.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
University of Wisconsin, Madison
VA Office of Research and Development
Study design
Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 55 Years
Inclusion criteria
* History of traumatic brain injury at least 12 months prior to enrollment * Control Group: No history of traumatic brain injury
Exclusion criteria
* Claustrophobia * Metallic or electronic implants or devices that are not MRI-safe * Foreign metal, such as shrapnel, in the body
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cognition change at study endpoint between TBI and controls | Greater than 3 years post-injury | — |
| Longitudinal change in white matter | 2 months, 1 year, and greater than 3 years post-injury | Participants will include post-TBI in survivors the investigators have studied previously |
| Longitudinal change in whole brain morphology | 2 months, 1 year, and greater than 3 years post-injury | Participants will include post-TBI in survivors the investigators have studied previously |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed