Neural correlates of memory recovery: Preliminary findings in children and adolescents with acquired brain injury

Background: After acquired brain injury (ABI), patients show various neurological impairments and outcome is difficult to predict. Identifying biomarkers of recovery could provide prognostic information about a patient’s neural potential for recovery and improve our understanding of neural reorganization. In healthy subjects, sleep slow wave activity (SWA, EEG spectral power 1–4.5 Hz) has been linked to neuroplastic processes such as learning and brain maturation. Therefore, we suggest that SWA might be a suitable measure to investigate neural reorganization underlying memory recovery. Objectives: In the present study, we used SWA to investigate neural correlates of recovery of function in ten paediatric patients with ABI (age range 7–15 years). Methods: We recorded high-density EEG (128 electrodes) during sleep at the beginning and end of rehabilitation. We used sleep EEG data of 52 typically developing children to calculate age-normalized values for individual patients. In patients, we also assessed every-day life memory impairment at the beginning and end of rehabilitation. Results: In the course of rehabilitation, memory recovery was paralleled by longitudinal changes in SWA over posterior parietal brain areas. SWA over left prefrontal and occipital brain areas at the beginning of rehabilitation predicted memory recovery. Conclusions: We show that longitudinal sleep-EEG measurements are feasible in the clinical setting. While posterior parietal and prefrontal brain areas are known to belong to the memory “core network”, occipital brain areas have never been related to memory. While we have to remain cautious in interpreting preliminary findings, we suggest that SWA is a promising measure to investigate neural reorganization.

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Neural correlates of apathy in patients with neurodegenerative disorders, acquired brain injury, and psychiatric disorders

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews ◽

10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.012 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 69 ◽

pp. 381-401 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

Claire Kos ◽

Marie-José van Tol ◽

Jan-Bernard C. Marsman ◽

Henderikus Knegtering ◽

André Aleman

Keyword(s):

Brain Injury ◽

Psychiatric Disorders ◽

Neurodegenerative Disorders ◽

Acquired Brain Injury ◽

Neural Correlates

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High-Density Electroencephalographic Recordings During Sleep in Children and Adolescents With Acquired Brain Injury

Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair ◽

10.1177/1545968316688794 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (5) ◽

pp. 462-474 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Anne-Laure Mouthon ◽

Andreas Meyer-Heim ◽

Salome Kurth ◽

Maya Ringli ◽

Fiona Pugin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Brain Injury ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Neural Activity ◽

Brain Injuries ◽

Spectral Power ◽

Young Patients ◽

High Density ◽

Brain Areas ◽

Clinical Prognosis ◽

Age Range

Background. Acquired brain injuries (ABI) such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) or stroke can result in motor, language, or cognitive impairments. Although a considerable number of studies have investigated functional recovery, underlying brain reorganization remains poorly understood. Accumulating evidence indicates that plastic processes in the brain are linked to changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) slow wave activity (SWA) during deep sleep (EEG spectral power 1-4.5 Hz). Objective. We investigated sleep SWA in children and adolescents with ABI. Methods. We used high-density EEG (128 electrodes) to record sleep in 22 young patients with ABI (age range = 4-16 years). We compared patients to 52 previously measured typically developing children and adolescents (age range = 4-16 years). Results. The pattern of alterations in SWA differed between particular patient groups. In patients with bilateral stroke, SWA was globally reduced across the entire scalp. Patients with unilateral stroke showed a local reduction in SWA over lesion areas and an increase over perilesional and contralateral brain areas. In patients with severe TBI, we found a reduction in SWA over the midline and an increase over lateral brain areas. We found no consistent pattern in patients with mild to moderate TBI. Conclusions. Sleep SWA seems to be a sensitive measure to assess individual alterations in neural activity after ABI. Deviations from age norms might indirectly indicate plastic processes that have occurred since injury. Improving our understanding of neural activity after ABI could optimize clinical prognosis and guide the development of novel therapeutic interventions.

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Training-the-Trainer on Assistive Technology for Cognition (ATC): Current Practices

Perspectives on Neurophysiology and Neurogenic Speech and Language Disorders ◽

10.1044/nnsld23.2.90 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 90-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Laurie Ehlhardt Powell ◽

Tracey Wallace ◽

Michelle ranae Wild

Keyword(s):

Brain Injury ◽

Assistive Technology ◽

Acquired Brain Injury ◽

Online Training ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Train The Trainer ◽

Rehabilitation Professionals ◽

Remote Locations ◽

Training Package ◽

And Training

Research shows that if clinicians are to deliver effective, evidence-based assistive technology for cognition (ATC) services to clients with acquired brain injury (ABI), they first need opportunities to gain knowledge and experience with ATC assessment and training practices (O'Neil-Pirozzi, Kendrick, Goldstein, & Glenn, 2004). This article describes three examples of train the trainer materials and programs to address this need: (a) a toolkit for trainers to learn more about assessing and training ATC; (b) a comprehensive, trans-disciplinary program for training staff to provide ATC services in a metropolitan area; and (c) an overview of an on-site/online training package for rehabilitation professionals working with individuals with ABI in remote locations.

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