@article{ref1,
title="Cognitive recovery after severe traumatic brain injury in children/adolescents and adults: similar positive outcome but different underlying pathways?",
journal="Brain injury",
year="2014",
author="Tavano, Alessandro and Galbiati, Susanna and Recla, Monica and Bardoni, Alessandra and Dominici, Chiara and Pastore, Valentina and Strazzer, Sandra",
volume="28",
number="7",
pages="900-905",
abstract="Primary objective: Does younger age at the time of severe traumatic brain injury (STBI) protect from cognitive symptoms? To answer this question, the authors compared the neuropsychological profile of late school-age children/adolescents and young adult patients at mid- and long-term recovery periods (6 and 12 months post-STBI). <br><br>METHODS and procedures: Twenty-eight children/adolescents and 26 clinically matched adults were tested on measures of general intelligence, attention, executive functions, visuoperceptual, visuospatial and visuoconstructive abilities. Coma duration and the post-acute Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score were used as predictor variables in a series of regression analyses. Main outcomes and results: Children/adolescents and adults similarly improved on most measures, except for visuospatial and visuoconstructive skills, which worsened in time for children/adolescents. Coma duration significantly predicted performance IQ and visuoperceptual scores in children/adolescents. The GOS score significantly predicted performance and verbal IQ, sustained attention, visuoconstructive and long-term memory skills. Coma duration predicted executive function skills in both age groups. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: (1) No evidence was found for a neuroprotective effect of younger age at STBI; and (2) Coma duration and GOS score predicted neuropsychological recovery in children/adolescents and adults, respectively. This suggests the existence of underlying age-specific recovery processes after STBI.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0269-9052",
doi="10.3109/02699052.2014.890742",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/02699052.2014.890742"
}