798 Diffusion tensor imaging as a potential biomarker of sleep dysfunction in warfighters with chronic, severe, traumatic brain injury

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A310-A311
Author(s):  
J Kent Werner ◽  
Brian Gerstenslager ◽  
Ping-Hong Yeh ◽  
Rujirutana Srikanchana ◽  
Kimbra Kenney ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Traumatic brain injury (TBI) plagues service members in times of war and training. Diagnosis and management of TBI remain challenging, with many suffering from sleep disorders. We hypothesized that TBI-related damage to the hypothalamus, a master regulator of breathing and sleep, could be related to post-TBI obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and serve as a pathophysiological biomarker for a subpopulation of OSA patients. Methods This was a retrospective study of warfighters with TBI from the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE). Subjects were identified by severe TBI on neuroimaging and compared against a control group without TBI. All subjects underwent screening polysomnography (PSG). MRI was acquired via 3T scanner. The hypothalamus was automatically segmented using a diffeomorphic algorithm. DTI scalar values were analyzed with scalar t-tests between subjects and controls. Generalized linear modeling with DTI scalar values was used to predict AHI in subjects. Results 6 subjects and 61 controls were identified. There was significant sleep dysfunction amongst TBI subjects (mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) 5.1+/-6.6 events/hour; mild OSA incidence 33.3%; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) mean 13.3+/-2.6). Radial diffusivity (RD), axial diffusivity (AD) and mean diffusivity (MD) were significantly higher among subjects (control RD 9.64x10^-10+/-7.54x10^-11 m^2/s, subject RD 1.13x10^-9+/-1.20x10^-10m^2/s, p = 0.023; control AD 1.32x10^-9+/-7.64x10^-11m^2/s, subject AD 1.50x10^-9+/-1.43x10^-10m^2/s, p = 0.029; control MD 1.08x10^-9+/-7.43x10^-11m^2/s, subject MD 1.25x10^-9+/-1.34x10^-10m^2/s, p = 0.025). There were no differences in age or body-mass index. Generalized linear modeling with diffusivity measures as predictors of AHI in subjects was not significant. Conclusion Using a diffeomorphic algorithm to define the hypothalamus reveals significantly elevated scalar DTI measures in chronic, severe TBI compared to controls. DTI differences in the hypothalamus are a novel finding and possibly underlie part of the pathophysiology of TBI. Although this may have potential to serve as a biomarker in severe TBI patients with sleep disorders, these initial data do not support a relationship between DTI and AHI, despite high incidence of OSA and subjective sleep dysfunction. Future studies with more subjects may better elucidate the changes in hypothalamic DTI after TBI for clinical outcomes analysis. Support (if any) This work was supported by grant 130132 from USAMRMC.

SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A159-A159
Author(s):  
K Werner ◽  
P Shahim ◽  
J Gill ◽  
R Nakase-Richardson ◽  
K Kenney

Abstract Introduction Increasing evidence links neurodegeneration to traumatic brain injury (TBI), and a separate body of literature links neurodegeneration to sleep dysfunction, implicating increased toxin production and decreased glymphatic clearance. Sleep disorders affect 50% of TBI patients, yet the sleep-neurodegeneration connection in these patients remains unexplored. We hypothesized that warfighters with TBI and sleep dysfunction would have increased neuronal injury, revealing potential mechanistic underpinnings for TBI outcomes. We measured plasma biomarkers, cognitive function and sleep surveys for correlation analysis. Methods In a retrospective cross-sectional study of warfighters (n=113 chronic mild TBI patients), the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was compared with amyloid β42 (Aβ42), neurofilament light (NFL), tau, and phospho-tau (threonine 181) isolated from plasma and exosomes. Executive function was tested with the categorical fluency test. Exosomes were precipitated from plasma. Proteins were measured with the Single Molecule Array (Quanterix). Linear models were adjusted for age, ApoE, and number of TBIs. Results Poor sleepers with TBI (PSQI>8) had elevated NFL compared to good sleepers in plasma (p=0.007) and exosomes (p=0.00017), and PSQI directly correlated with NFL (plasma: Beta=0.23, p=0.0079; exosomes: Beta=2.19, p=0.0013) stronger than any other marker of neurodegeneration. Poor sleepers also showed higher obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk compared to good sleepers by STOP-BANG scores (3.6, SD=1.6 vs 2.8, SD=1.74; p=0.0014) as well as decreased categorical fluency (20.7, SD=4.1) (18.3, SD=4.6, p=.0067). Plasma tau and Aβ42 also correlated with PSQI (Beta=0.64, p=0.028, and Beta=0.40, p=0.049 respectively). Conclusion This is the first reported data correlating markers of neuronal injury and cognitive deficits with sleep complaints and OSA risk in patients with TBI - possibly identifying treatable pathophysiological mediators of TBI neurodegeneration. Limitations include a small sample size, lack of objective sleep measures, and inability to establish directionality due to cross-sectional design. Prospective trials will be required to further explore our proposed hypothesis. If confirmed, these findings would call for targeting sleep disorders in the TBI population to mitigate risk of neurodegeneration. Support This work was supported by grant funding from: Department of Defense, Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (CENC) Award W81XWH-13-2-0095 and Department of Veterans Affairs CENC Award I01 CX001135.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laith Al-Ameri ◽  
Talib Mohsin ◽  
Ali Abdul Wahid

(1) Background: Sleeping disorders are frequently reported following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Different forms of sleeping disorders have been reported, such as sleepiness, insomnia, changes in sleeping latency, and others. (2) Methods: A case-control study with 62 patients who were victims of mild or moderate TBI with previous admissions to Iraqi tertiary neurosurgical centers were enrolled as the first group, and 158 patients with no history of trauma were considered as the control. All were 18 years of age or older, and the severity of the trauma and sleep disorders was assessed. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index was used to assess sleep disorders with average need for sleep per day and average sleep latency were assessed in both groups. Chi-square and t-test calculations were used to compare different variables. (3) Results: 39 patients (24.7%) of the controlled group experienced sleeping disorders compared to TBI group with 45 patients (72.6%), P-value < 0.00001. A total of 42 patients were diagnosed on admission as having a mild degree of TBI (mean GCS 13.22 ± 1.76) and 20 patients were diagnosed with moderate TBI (mean GCS11.05 ± 1.14. 27). A total of 27 (46.28%) patients with mild severity TBI and 18 patients (90%) of moderate severity were considered to experience sleeping disorders, P-value 0.0339. Each of the mild and moderate TBI subgroups show a P-value < 0.00001 compared to the control group. Average sleep hours needed per day for TBI and the control were 8.02 ± 1.04 h and 7.26 ± 0.58 h, respectively, P-value < 0.00001. Average sleep latency for the TBI and the control groups were 13.32 ± 3.16 min and 13.93 ± 3.07 min respectively, P-value 0.065. (4) Conclusion: Sleep disturbances are more common following mild and moderate TBI three months after the injury with more hours needed for sleep per day and no significant difference in sleep latency. Sleep disturbances increase in frequency with the increase in the severity of TBI.


2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Rendle ◽  
Skye McDonald ◽  
Karen Salmon

AbstractPeople with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) often have poor psychosocial outcomes. Poor memory may contribute to this because it impedes the ability to share experiences and reminisce about past experiences. This study was designed to determine whether photographic partial reminders would improve recall of incidentally learned complex events in people with severe TBI. Two groups of 10 people with severe TBI viewed videotapes of everyday events. One group was shown photographic reminders of half the events shown two days later on 3 occasions separated by 10 minutes. Twenty minutes after the last review (or control activity) both groups were tested for free recall and recognition of the videotape events. The reminder group recalled a greater percentage of reviewed events and objects per events recalled, but a similar number of actions per event recalled, compared to the control group. Photographic review did not decrease recall of nonreviewed events or affect recognition of reviewed or nonreviewed events.


2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Silverthorne ◽  
Sat Bir Khalsa ◽  
Robin Gueth ◽  
Nicole DeAvilla ◽  
Janie Pansini

Objective: This pilot study was designed to identify the potential benefits of breath-focused yoga on respiratory, physical, and psychological functioning for adults with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants: Ten individuals with severe TBI who self-selected to attend weekly yoga classes and 4 no-treatment controls were evaluated. Methods: Participants were assessed at pretreatment baseline and at 3-month intervals for a total of 4 time points over 40 weeks. Outcomes of interest included observed exhale strength, ability to hold a breath or a tone, breathing rate, counted breaths (inhale and exhale), and heart rate, as well as self-reported physical and psycho-logical well-being. Results: Repeated within-group analyses of variance revealed that the yoga group demonstrated significant longitudinal change on several measures of observed respiratory functioning and self-reported physical and psychological well-being over a 40-week period. Those in the control group showed marginal improvement on 2 of the 6 measures of respiratory health, physical and social functioning, emotional well-being, and general health. The small sample sizes precluded the analysis of between group differences. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence that breath-focused yoga may improve respiratory functioning and self-perceived physical and psychological well-being of adults with severe TBI.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 304-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vickie Plourde ◽  
Brian L. Brooks

AbstractObjectives: Children and adolescents with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) present with short and long-term neuropsychological deficits following their injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of a brief computerized test battery for evaluating cognitive functioning sub-acutely following a TBI. Methods: Participants (n=33) sustained a moderate-to-severe TBI, were between 8 and 18 years old, and were assessed using CNS Vital Signs (CNSVS) within 6 months post-injury (median=0.6 month). Participants with TBI were matched to 33 healthy controls based on age, sex, and handedness to compare their cognitive functioning on the CNSVS battery. Results: Children and adolescents with moderate-to-severe TBI had significantly lower scores and large effect sizes on Reaction Time, Complex Attention, and Cognitive Flexibility domains, as well as medium effect sizes on two Visual Memory test scores and one Psychomotor Speed test score. A significantly higher percentage of participants with TBI had cognitive impairment on Reaction Time domain score compared to the control group. Finally, CNSVS domain scores correctly categorized 76% of participants as either group with TBI or control group. Conclusions: CNSVS may be a useful tool for screening cognitive abilities in children and adolescents who are early in their recovery from a moderate-to-severe TBI, particularly when a rapid screening evaluation can help guide management, interventions, and track recovery. (JINS, 2017, 23, 304–313)


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangyi Yin ◽  
Jie Wu ◽  
Lihui Zhou ◽  
Chunyan Ni ◽  
Minyan Xiao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Tracheostomy is very common in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), and long-term nursing care are needed for those patients. We aimed to evaluate the effects of hospital-community-home (HCH) nursing in those patients. Methods: Tracheostomy patients with severe TBI needing long-term care were included. All patients underwent two months long follow-up. Glasgow coma score (GCS), Karnofsky, Self-Anxiety Scale (SAS) (SAS) and Barthel assessment at the discharge and two months after discharge were evaluated. The tracheostomy related complications were recorded and compared.Results: A total of 60 patients were included. There weren’t significant differences between two groups in the GCS, Karnofsky, SAS and Barthel index at discharge((all p>0.05), the GCS, Karnofsky and Barthel index was all significantly increased after two months follow-up for two groups (all p<0.05), and the GCS, Karnofsky and Barthel index at two months follow-up in HCH group was significantly higher than that of control group(all p<0.05), but the SAS at two months follow-up in HCH group was significantly less than that of control group(p=0.009). The incidence of block of artificial tracheal cannula and readmission in HCH group were significant less than that of control group (all p<0.05).Conclusion: HCH nursing care is feasible in tracheostomy patients with severe TBI, future studies are needed to further evaluate the role of HCH nursing care.


1995 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 864-875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas F. Campbell ◽  
Christine A. Dollaghan

Two studies were conducted to examine speaking rate following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in childhood and adolescence. Study 1 focused on longitudinal changes in speaking rate in 9 subjects with severe TBI and their age-matched control subjects. Physical measurements of speaking rate (in syllables/sec) were made from spontaneous speech samples obtained from each subject during three sampling sessions over a 13-month period. Although the average speaking rate of the group with TBI was slower than that of the control group at all three sampling sessions, an examination of the data from individual subject pairs revealed markedly slower speaking rates in only 5 of the 9 subjects with TBI at the final sampling session. The perceptual significance of slowed speaking rates in these 5 subjects was confirmed through subjective ratings by naive listeners. In Study 2, the contributions of two potential causes of slowed speaking rate were explored: reduced articulatory speed and increased pausing believed to be associated with linguistic processing difficulties. It is hypothesized that articulatory speed and linguistic processing speed may contribute independently to slowed speaking rates more than 1 year after TBI.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongming Ji ◽  
Changchen Hu ◽  
Gangli Zhang ◽  
Jinrui Ren ◽  
Yihu Tan ◽  
...  

This study investigates the biokinetics of LGT proteome, a potential biomarker of severe TBI, in serum of severe TBI patients. The LGT proteome presents in the serum of severe TBI patients. The abundance diversity of LGT proteome is closely associated with pathologic condition of TBI patients. Serum LGT proteome may be used as a promising marker for evaluating severity of severe TBI.


2018 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Klima ◽  
Lindsay Morgan ◽  
Michelle Baylor ◽  
Cordia Reilly ◽  
Daniel Gladmon ◽  
...  

Injuries sustained from traumatic brain injury (TBI) culminate in both cognitive and neuromuscular deficits. Patients often progress to higher functioning on the Rancho continuum even while mobility deficits persist. Although prior studies have examined physical performance among persons with chronic symptoms of TBI, less is known about the relatively acute phase of TBI as patients prepare for rehabilitation discharge. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to (a) compare balance and gait performance in 20 ambulant persons with moderate to severe TBI who were nearing rehabilitation discharge with their age-matched controls and (b) describe performance with thresholds for fall risk and community navigation. During a designed task circuit, 40 participants (20 persons with TBI and 20 controls) performed the Timed Up and Go (TUG), gait velocity, and Walking and Remembering tests. Balance testing included the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FABS) and instrumented Modified Clinical Test for Sensory Interaction in Balance (MCTSIB). Statistical analyses included analysis of covariance for group comparisons and a multivariate analysis of covariance for MCTSIB sway velocities with anthropometric controls. The TBI group (mean [ M] age = 42, standard deviation [ SD] =19.5 years; 70% males) performed significantly more poorly on all mobility tests ( p < .05) and their scores reflected a potential fall risk. Gait velocity was significantly slower for the TBI versus control group ( M = .96, SD = 2.6 vs. M = 1.5, SD = 2.2 m/s; p < .001), including TUG times ( M = 13.5, SD = 4.9 vs. M = 7.7, SD = 1.4; p < .001). TBI participants also demonstrated significantly greater sway velocity on all MCTSIB conditions ( p < .01) and lower performance on the FABS ( p < .001). Performance indices indicate potential fall risk and community navigation compromise for individuals with moderate to severe TBI. Physical performance scores support the need for continued interventions to optimize functional mobility upon discharge.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chieh-Hsin Wu ◽  
Tai-Hsin Tsai ◽  
Yu-Feng Su ◽  
Zi-Hao Zhang ◽  
Wei Liu ◽  
...  

Whether traumatic brain injury (TBI) is causally related to substance related disorder (SRD) is still debatable, especially in persons with no history of mental disorders at the time of injury. This study analyzed data in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for 19,109 patients aged ≥18 years who had been diagnosed with TBI during 2000–2010. An additional 19,109 randomly selected age and gender matched patients without TBI (1 : 1 ratio) were enrolled in the control group. The relationship between TBI and SRD was estimated with Cox proportional hazard regression models. During the follow-up period, SRD developed in 340 patients in the TBI group and in 118 patients in the control group. After controlling for covariates, the overall incidence of SRD was 3.62-fold higher in the TBI group compared to the control group. Additionally, patients in the severe TBI subgroup were 9.01 times more likely to have SRD compared to controls. Notably, patients in the TBI group were prone to alcohol related disorders. The data in this study indicate that TBI is significantly associated with the subsequent risk of SRD. Physicians treating patients with TBI should be alert to this association to prevent the occurrence of adverse events.


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