Three-dimensional multiple object tracking in the pediatric population: the NeuroTracker and its promising role in the management of mild traumatic brain injury. Issue 7 (2nd May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Corbin-Berrigan, Laurie-Ann; Kowalski, Kristina; Faubert, Jocelyn; Christie, Brian; Gagnon, Isabelle
• Is Part Of: NeuroReport. Volume 29:Issue 7(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-05-02
• Subjects: children -- concussion -- mild traumatic brain injury -- NeuroTracker -- object tracking -- pediatrics -- perceptual-cognitive training -- return to activities -- three-dimensional multiple object tracking; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Periodicals; Neurophysiology -- Periodicals; Nervous System Diseases -- Periodicals; Nervous System Physiological Phenomena -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; 616.805
• DOI: 10.1097/WNR.0000000000000988
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-4965

Abstract

Abstract : As mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) affects hundreds of thousands of children and their families each year, investigation of potential mTBI assessments and treatments is an important research target. Three-dimensional multiple object tracking (3D-MOT), where an individual must allocate attention to moving objects within 3D space, is one potentially promising assessment and treatment tool. To date, no research has looked at 3D-MOT in a pediatric mTBI population. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine 3D-MOT learning in children and youth with and without mTBI. Thirty-four participants (mean age=14.69±2.46 years), with and without mTBI, underwent six visits of 3D-MOT. A two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a significant time effect, a nonsignificant group effect, and a nonsignificant group-by-time interaction on absolute speed thresholds. In contrast, significant group and time effects and a significant group-by-time interaction on normalized speed thresholds were found. Individuals with mTBI showed smaller training gains at visit 2 than healthy controls, but the groups did not differ on the remaining visits. Although youth can significantly improve their 3D-MOT performance following mTBI, similar to noninjured individuals, they show slower speed of processing in the first few training sessions. This preliminary work suggests that using a 3D-MOT paradigm to train visual perception after mTBI may be beneficial for both stimulating recovery and informing return to activity decisions.