Citation

Oldenburg C, Lundin A, Edman G, Nygren-de Boussard C, Bartfai A. Brain Inj. 2015; 30(2): 146-155.

Affiliation

Department of Clinical Sciences , Karolinska Institute and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Stockholm , Danderyd University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.3109/02699052.2015.1089598

PMID

26618716

Abstract

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: Having three or more persisting (i.e. > 3 months) post-concussion symptoms (PCS) affects a significant number of patients after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). A common complaint is cognitive deficits. However, several meta-analyses have found no evidence of long-term cognitive impairment in mTBI patients. The study sought to answer two questions: first, is there a difference in cognitive performance between PCS and recovered mTBI patients? Second, is lower cognitive reserve a risk factor for developing PCS? RESEARCH DESIGN: Prospective inception cohort study.

METHODS AND PROCEDURE: One hundred and twenty-two adult patients were recruited from emergency departments within 24 hours of an mTBI. Three months post-injury, participants completed the Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire and a neuropsychological assessment. A healthy control group (n = 35) were recruited. The estimate of cognitive reserve was based upon sub-test Information from Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and international classifications of educational level and occupational skill level. MAIN OUTCOME AND RESULTS: mTBI patients showed reduced memory performance. Patients with lower cognitive reserve were 4.14-times more likely to suffer from PCS.

CONCLUSIONS: mTBI may be linked to subtle executive memory deficits. Lower cognitive reserve appears to be a risk factor for PCS and indicates individual vulnerabilities.

Language: en