Association Between White Matter Integrity, Injury Severity, and Variability in Neuropsychological Performance Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Open Access
- Author:
- Carter, Emily
- Area of Honors:
- Psychology
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Frank Gerard Hillary, Thesis Supervisor
Frank Gerard Hillary, Thesis Honors Advisor
Peter Andrew Arnett, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- Traumatic Brain Injury
Neuroimaging
Neuropsychology
Aging - Abstract:
- As people age, white matter integrity (WMI) in the central nervous system naturally declines (Bennet & Madden, 2014). Certain conditions, such as neurodegenerative disease and/or injury, can accelerate this process (Coelho et al., 2021) and there is a growing literature showing a significant relationship between increased white matter degradation and traumatic brain injury (TBI) (Kinnunen et al., 2011). Few studies have investigated how increased white matter degradation due to brain injury specifically impacts individual performance on neuropsychological assessment. Exploring this relationship is important, because it could significantly inform clinical and functional trajectories following brain injury. Therefore, the current study explored the effects of global white matter integrity on neuropsychological performance in patients with TBI compared to healthy controls. Neuropsychological functioning was measured using the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT-R), Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) Digit Span Forward & Backward, Delis-Kaplan Executive Functioning System (DKEFS), Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), and the Trail Making Test A & B. White matter integrity was measured using diffuse tensor imaging (DTI) methodology. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant interaction between global white matter integrity on overall neuropsychological performance. Results indicated that there was a significant interaction between global white matter integrity, injury severity and specific neuropsychological tasks. Future studies could possibly explore how global white matter integrity impacts functional daily activities as well as other areas of cognition.