scholarly journals Psychological Intervention in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lizzette Gómez-de-Regil ◽  
Damaris F. Estrella-Castillo ◽  
Julio Vega-Cauich

Objective. To provide a brief and comprehensive summary of recent research regarding psychological interventions for patients surviving a traumatic brain injury. Methods. A bibliographical search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycNET, Scopus, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar online databases. Analysis included distribution by year of publication, age stage of participants (paediatric, adult), location of the research team, study design, type of intervention, and main outcome variables. Results. The initial search eliciting 1541 citations was reduced to 62 relevant papers. Most publications had adult samples (88.7%). The United States outstands as the country with more research (58.1%); Latin America countries provided no results. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was the most widely used approach for treatment of (sub)clinical mental disturbances (41.9%). Neuropsychological interventions were scarce (4.8%). Outcome measures included psychiatric disorders (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety) (37.1%), postconcussive symptoms (16.1%), cognitive and functional deficits (48.1%), and social and psychological dimensions (62.9%). Conclusions. CBT outstands as the preferred therapeutic approach for treating behavioural and emotional disturbances. Also, other related therapies such as dialectical behaviour, mindfulness, and acceptance and commitment therapies have been proposed, and probably in the years to come, more literature regarding their effectiveness will be available. On the other hand, evidence showed that interventions from the field of neuropsychology are minimal if compared with its contribution to assessment. Future research should be aimed at performing studies on more diverse populations (e.g., nonmilitary communities and paediatric and Latin American populations) and at controlling designs to examine the therapeutic efficacy of psychotherapeutic and neurocognitive rehabilitation interventions and compare amelioration by injury severity, age of patients, and clinical profile, in the hopes of creating better guidelines for practitioners.

Author(s):  
Danielle Toccalino ◽  
Amy Moore ◽  
Sophia Chuon Gutierrez ◽  
Angela Colantonio ◽  
Christine M. Wickens ◽  
...  

Introduction: One in four Canadian women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased rates of IPV globally and the level of violence encountered, exposing IPV survivors to greater risk of physical injury, including traumatic brain injury (TBI). Up to 75% of survivors are suspected of sustaining a TBI and 50-75% experience mental health or substance use challenges (MHSU) as a result of IPV, resulting in extensive personal, social, and economic implications. Objective: The objective of this scoping review was to synthesize what is currently known in the literature about MHSU and TBI among survivors of IPV and identify gaps. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for relevant articles using a search strategy including text words and subject headings related to TBI, IPV, and MHSU. Two reviewers independently assessed articles for inclusion. Results: The search identified 399 unique articles, 34 of which were included in this study. Of these, 11 articles reported on MHSU in IPV-related TBI and 9 articles reported on both TBI and MHSU in IPV but did not discuss the groups together. The remainder were reviews or theses that noted MHSU in IPV-related TBI. Included articles predominantly focused on cis-gendered women in heterosexual relationships and were conducted in the United States. Only three articles focused on the experiences of Black or Indigenous women and none of the included studies discussed implications of co-occurring TBI and MHSU on survivor’s healthcare-related needs or access to care. Conclusions: Despite the high rates of co-occurring TBI and MHSU among survivors of IPV, there is little research on this intersection and no investigation of the impacts on the health system. Future research should focus on identifying the healthcare-related needs of survivors and identifying and mitigating barriers to access.


2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 370-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adel Elkbuli ◽  
Raed Ismail Narvel ◽  
Paul J. Spano ◽  
Valerie Polcz ◽  
Astrid Casin ◽  
...  

The effect of timing in patients requiring tracheostomy varies in the literature. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of early tracheostomy on outcomes in trauma patients with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study is a four-year review of trauma patients undergoing tracheostomy. Patients were divided into two groups based on TBI/non-TBI. Each group was divided into three subgroups based on tracheostomy timing: zero to three days, four to seven days, and greater than seven days postadmission. TBI patients were stratified by the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and non-TBI patients were stratified by the Injury Severity Score (ISS). The primary outcome was ventilator-free days (VFDs). Significance was defined as P < 0.05. Two hundred eighty-nine trauma patients met the study criteria: 151 had TBI (55.2%) versus 138 (47.8%) non-TBI. There were no significant differences in demographics within and between groups. In TBI patients, statistically significant increases in VFDs were observed with GCS 13 to 15 for tracheostomies performed in four to seven versus greater than seven days ( P = 0.005). For GCS <8 and 8 to 12, there were significant increases in VFDs for tracheostomies performed at days 1 to 3 and 4 to 7 versus greater than seven days (P << 0.05 for both). For non-TBI tracheostomies, only ISS ≥ 25 with tracheostomies performed at zero to three days versus greater than seven days was associated with improved VFDs. Early tracheostomies in TBI patients were associated with improved VFDs. In trauma patients with no TBI, early tracheostomy was associated with improved VFDs only in patients with ISS ≥ 25. Future research studies should investigate reasons TBI and non-TBI patients may differ.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1020-1020
Author(s):  
K Cornett

Abstract Objective Research literature has demonstrated the role that pre-morbid anxiety has in prolonging recovery from mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The aim of this investigation is to clarify the degree of the relationship between anxiety and postconcussive symptomology in patients with mTBI. Method This study compared scores from a patient-report measure of anxiety, the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), to scores from a patient-report measure of postconcussion symptom severity, the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI). Participants were recruited from September 2018 to December 2019 who had been referred for clinical evaluation to Rehabilitation Institute of Washington’s Brain Injury Services (a privately-run, interdisciplinary, outpatient clinic). 39 adult participants (30 males and nine females) completed both the GAD-7 and NSI. No control group was used. Injury severity level was ascertained via review of the medical records. Patients underwent an abbreviated evaluation with a clinical neuropsychologist. As a part of this initial evaluation, patients completed an intake packet, which included the NSI and GAD-7. Results The relationship between the ordinal variables (i.e., anxiety and postconscussive symptomology) was assessed using spearman’s rho. Anxiety had a strong, statistically significant relationship with postconcussive symptomology (rho = 0.670, p = 0.000). Conclusions Anxiety and postconcussive symptomology severity are associated in this population of patients with mTBI. Limitations of this current investigation include a small sample size and no control group. This study indicates the need for controlled studies in future research to address the above-encountered limitations. Nevertheless, this study lends support to the prevalence of anxiety in those with elevated postconcussive symptomology and the need to monitor this in assessment and treatment.


1999 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia K. Patterson ◽  
Hugo Maynard ◽  
Randall M. Chesnut ◽  
Nancy Carney ◽  
N. Clay Mann ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evidence for effectiveness of case management during recovery from traumatic brain injury (TBI) in adults. After an overview of TBI incidence, prevalence, and problems, and a brief explanation of case management, the study methods are described, the findings are discussed and recommendations are made for future research. Medline, HealthSTAR, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched and 83 articles met the criteria for review. The strongest studies (n = 3) were critically appraised and their design features and data were placed in two evidence tables. Due to methodological limitations, there was neither clear evidence of effectiveness nor of ineffectiveness. For future research, we recommend controlled research designs, standardization of measures, adequate statistical analysis and specification of health outcomes of importance to persons with TBI and their families.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 699
Author(s):  
Lizzette Gómez-de-Regil

This review aimed at providing a brief and comprehensive summary of recent research regarding the use of the Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST) to assess executive function in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). A bibliographical search, performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and PsycInfo, targeted publications from 2010 to 2020, in English or Spanish. Information regarding the studies’ designs, sample features and use of the WCST scores was recorded. An initial search eliciting 387 citations was reduced to 47 relevant papers. The highest proportion of publications came from the United States of America (34.0%) and included adult patients (95.7%). Observational designs were the most frequent (85.1%), the highest proportion being cross-sectional or case series studies. The average time after the occurrence of the TBI ranged from 4 to 62 years in single case studies, and from 6 weeks up to 23.5 years in the studies with more than one patient. Four studies compared groups of patients with TBI according to the severity (mild, moderate and/or severe), and in two cases, the studies compared TBI patients with healthy controls. Randomized control trials were seven in total. The noncomputerized WCST version including 128 cards was the most frequently used (78.7%). Characterization of the clinical profile of participants was the most frequent purpose (34.0%). The WCST is a common measure of executive function in patients with TBI. Although shorter and/or computerized versions are available, the original WCST with 128 cards is still used most often. The WCST is a useful tool for research and clinical purposes, yet a common practice is to report only one or a few of the possible scores, which prevents further valid comparisons across studies. Results might be useful to professionals in the clinical and research fields to guide them in assessment planning and proper interpretation of the WCST scores.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 2226-2241
Author(s):  
Kristen Ackley ◽  
Jessica Brown

Purpose Traumatic brain injury (TBI) accounts for a large percentage of death and disability in the United States. Survivors of TBI and their families often face impaired cognition (e.g., memory or attention). Currently, evidence supports the use of individualized cognitive therapy for individuals who experience TBI. Therefore, we conducted a modified narrative literature review of speech-language pathologists' practices relative to college students with TBI. Method We conducted a search across three platforms. Nine hundred sixty-three articles were reviewed by title. From this, 178 articles were selected to be reviewed by abstract and 36 articles were read in full. Of these, 13 articles were included in the review. Articles were selected for inclusion or exclusion based on specific criteria related to population and diagnosis. Results Overall, little evidence exists to guide clinicians regarding specific assessment and treatment practices for college students postinjury. The findings of this review article span four major areas: (a) general service delivery efforts, (b) education, (c) assessment, and (d) treatment. Conclusion Results of the literature search indicate that evidence is lacking to support specific practices for use by speech-language pathologists with this population and highlight future research needs to inform clinical practice.


Neurology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. e610-e622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pashtun Shahim ◽  
Adam Politis ◽  
Andre van der Merwe ◽  
Brian Moore ◽  
Yi-Yu Chou ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo determine whether serum neurofilament light (NfL) correlates with CSF NfL, traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnosis, injury severity, brain volume, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) estimates of traumatic axonal injury (TAI).MethodsParticipants were prospectively enrolled in Sweden and the United States between 2011 and 2019. The Swedish cohort included 45 hockey players with acute concussion sampled at 6 days, 31 with repetitive concussion with persistent postconcussive symptoms (PCS) assessed with paired CSF and serum (median 1.3 years after concussion), 28 preseason controls, and 14 nonathletic controls. Our second cohort included 230 clinic-based participants (162 with TBI and 68 controls). Patients with TBI also underwent serum, functional outcome, and imaging assessments at 30 (n = 30), 90 (n = 48), and 180 (n = 59) days and 1 (n = 84), 2 (n = 57), 3 (n = 46), 4 (n = 38), and 5 (n = 29) years after injury.ResultsIn athletes with paired specimens, CSF NfL and serum NfL were correlated (r = 0.71, p < 0.0001). CSF and serum NfL distinguished players with PCS >1 year from PCS ≤1 year (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC] 0.81 and 0.80). The AUROC for PCS >1 year vs preseason controls was 0.97. In the clinic-based cohort, NfL at enrollment distinguished patients with mild from those with moderate and severe TBI (p < 0.001 and p = 0.048). Serum NfL decreased over the course of 5 years (ß = −0.09 log pg/mL, p < 0.0001) but remained significantly elevated compared to controls. Serum NfL correlated with measures of functional outcome, MRI brain atrophy, and DTI estimates of TAI.ConclusionsSerum NfL shows promise as a biomarker for acute and repetitive sports-related concussion and patients with subacute and chronic TBI.Classification of evidenceThis study provides Class III evidence that increased concentrations of NfL distinguish patients with TBI from controls.


2004 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 299-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine J. Kirkness ◽  
Robert L. Burr ◽  
Pamela H. Mitchell ◽  
David W. Newell

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of death and disability in the United States. Sex has not been thoroughly examined as a factor that may influence outcome following TBI. Clinical studies involving humans that have focused on sex and TBI outcome have yielded inconclusive results, yet sex-related physiologic differences have been demonstrated in animal studies. The purpose of this study is to examine the interaction of sex and age in relation to outcome at 3 and 6 months postinjury in a population of individuals with TBI. The sample includes 157 subjects (124 males, 33 females), 16 to 89 years of age, admitted to a level 1 trauma center following TBI. Physiologic data and information about injury severity and clinical course were gathered during hospitalization. Outcome was assessed at 3 and 6 months postinjury using the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) and Functional Status Examination (FSE). In this sample, there was a significant relationship between sex and age with respect to functional outcome at 6 months following TBI, controlling for initial injury severity. Females age 30 years or older had significantly poorer outcome as measured by the GOSE (P = 0.031) and the FSE (P = 0.037) than either males or younger females. There was also a very different rate of recovery, with women age 30 years and older, on average, showing no improvement between 3 and 6 months postinjury. Further study is needed to elucidate the reasons why sex may affect outcome following TBI.


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 1030-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard PG Morris ◽  
Joanna C Fletcher-Smith ◽  
Kathryn A Radford

Objective: This systematic review sought evidence concerning the effectiveness of peer mentoring for people with traumatic brain injury. Data sources: Fourteen electronic databases were searched, including PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library, from inception to September 21 2016. Ten grey literature databases, PROSPERO, two trials registers, reference lists and author citations were also searched. Review methods: Studies which employed a model of one-to-one peer mentoring between traumatic brain injury survivors were included. Two reviewers independently screened all titles and abstracts before screening full texts of shortlisted studies. A third reviewer resolved disagreements. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed studies for quality and risk of bias. Results: The search returned 753 records, including one identified through hand searching. 495 records remained after removal of duplicates and 459 were excluded after screening. Full texts were assessed for the remaining 36 studies and six met the inclusion criteria. All were conducted in the United States between 1996 and 2012 and employed a variety of designs including two randomised controlled trials. A total of 288 people with traumatic brain injury participated in the studies. No significant improvements in social activity level or social network size were found, but significant improvements were shown in areas including behavioural control, mood, coping and quality of life. Conclusion: There is limited evidence for the effectiveness of peer mentoring after traumatic brain injury. The available evidence comes from small-scale studies, of variable quality, without detailed information on the content of sessions or the ‘active ingredient’ of the interventions.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Morris ◽  
Tallie Casucci ◽  
Mary M. McFarland ◽  
Ben Cassidy ◽  
Ryan Pelo ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundBalance testing after concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can be useful in determining acute and chronic neuromuscular deficits that are unapparent from symptom scores or cognitive testing alone. However, current assessments of balance do not comprehensively evaluate all three classes of balance: maintaining a posture, voluntary movement, and reactive postural response. Despite the utility of reactive postural responses in predicting fall risk in other balance impaired populations, the effect of mTBI on reactive postural responses remains unclear.PurposeTo (1) examine the extent and range of available research on reactive postural responses in people post-mTBI and (2) determine if reactive postural responses (balance recovery) are affected by mTBI.Study DesignScoping review.MethodsStudies were identified using Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Dissertations and Theses Global, PsycINFO, SportDiscus, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria were: injury classified as mTBI with no confounding central or peripheral nervous system dysfunction beyond those stemming from the mTBI, quantitative measure of reactive postural response, and a discrete, externally driven perturbation was used to test reactive postural response.ResultsA total of 4,247 publications were identified and a total of two studies (4 publications) were included in the review.ConclusionThe limited number of studies available on this topic highlight the lack of knowledge on reactive postural responses after mTBI. This review provides a new direction for balance assessments after mTBI and recommends incorporating all three classes of postural control in future research.


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