Structural Connectivity Related to Persistent Symptoms After Mild TBI in Adolescents and Response to Aerobic Training: Preliminary Investigation. Issue 6 (November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yuan, Weihong; Wade, Shari L.; Quatman-Yates, Catherine; Hugentobler, Jason A.; Gubanich, Paul J.; Kurowski, Brad G.
• Is Part Of: Journal of head trauma rehabilitation. Volume 32:Issue 6(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-11
• Subjects: aerobic training -- DTI tractography -- graph theory -- mild traumatic brain injury -- persistent symptom -- structural connectivity; Brain damage -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Brain damage -- Periodicals; 617.4810443
• DOI: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000318
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0885-9701

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: To quantify structural connectivity abnormalities in adolescents with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and to investigate connectivity changes following aerobic training using graph theory and diffusion tensor imaging tractography. Setting: Outpatient research setting. Participants: Twenty-two children (age: 15.83 ± 1.77 years, 10 females) with 4 to 16 weeks of persistent symptoms after mTBI and a matched healthy comparison group. Design: Randomized clinical trial of aerobic training and stretching comparison combined with case-control comparison. Main Measures: (1) Five global network measures: global efficiency (Eglob), mean local efficiency, modularity, normalized clustering coefficient (γ), normalized characteristic path length (λ), and small-worldness (σ). (2) The self-reported Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory score. Results: At initial enrollment, adolescents with mTBI had significantly lower Eglob and higher γ, λ, and σ (all P < .05) than healthy peers. After the intervention, significantly increased Eglob and decreased λ (both P < .05) were found in the aerobic training group. Improvement in Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory scores was significantly correlated with the Eglob increase and λ decrease in the aerobic training and λ decrease in the stretching comparison group (all P < .05). Conclusion: This pilot study showed initial evidence that structural connectivity analysis was sensitive to brain network abnormalities and may serve as an imaging biomarker in children with persistent symptoms after mTBI.