TY - JOUR
T1 - Memory and anatomical change in severe non missile traumatic brain injury
T2 - ∼1 vs. ∼8years follow-up
AU - Tomaiuolo, Francesco
AU - Bivona, Umberto
AU - Lerch, Jason P.
AU - Di Paola, Margherita
AU - Carlesimo, Giovanni A.
AU - Ciurli, Paola
AU - Matteis, Mariella
AU - Cecchetti, Luca
AU - Forcina, Antonio
AU - Silvestro, Daniela
AU - Azicnuda, Eva
AU - Sabatini, Umberto
AU - Di Giacomo, Dina
AU - Caltagirone, Carlo
AU - Petrides, Michael
AU - Formisano, Rita
PY - 2012/3/10
Y1 - 2012/3/10
N2 - In previous studies, we investigated a group of subjects who had suffered from a severe non missile traumatic brain injury (nmTBI) without macroscopic focal lesions and we found brain atrophy involving the hippocampus, fornix, corpus callosum, optic chiasm, and optic radiations. Memory test scores correlated mainly with fornix volumes [37,38].In the present study, we re-examined 11 of these nmTBI subjects approximately 8yr later. High-spatial resolution T1 weighted magnetic resonance images of the brain (1mm3) and standardised memory tests were performed once more in order to compare brain morphology and memory performance originally assessed 3-13 months after head injury (first study) and after 8-10yr (present study). An overall improvement of memory test performance was demonstrated in the latest assessment, indicating that cognitive recovery in severe nmTBI subjects had not been completed within 3-13 months post-injury. It is notable that the volumes of the fornix and the hippocampus were reduced significantly from normal controls, but these volumes do not differ appreciatively between nmTBI subjects at first (after ∼1yr) and at second (after ∼8yr) scans. On the contrary, a clear reduction in the volume of the corpus callosus can be observed after ∼1yr and a further significant reduction is evident after ∼8yr, indicating that the neural degeneration in severe nmTBI continues long after the head trauma and relates to specific structures and not to the overall brain.
AB - In previous studies, we investigated a group of subjects who had suffered from a severe non missile traumatic brain injury (nmTBI) without macroscopic focal lesions and we found brain atrophy involving the hippocampus, fornix, corpus callosum, optic chiasm, and optic radiations. Memory test scores correlated mainly with fornix volumes [37,38].In the present study, we re-examined 11 of these nmTBI subjects approximately 8yr later. High-spatial resolution T1 weighted magnetic resonance images of the brain (1mm3) and standardised memory tests were performed once more in order to compare brain morphology and memory performance originally assessed 3-13 months after head injury (first study) and after 8-10yr (present study). An overall improvement of memory test performance was demonstrated in the latest assessment, indicating that cognitive recovery in severe nmTBI subjects had not been completed within 3-13 months post-injury. It is notable that the volumes of the fornix and the hippocampus were reduced significantly from normal controls, but these volumes do not differ appreciatively between nmTBI subjects at first (after ∼1yr) and at second (after ∼8yr) scans. On the contrary, a clear reduction in the volume of the corpus callosus can be observed after ∼1yr and a further significant reduction is evident after ∼8yr, indicating that the neural degeneration in severe nmTBI continues long after the head trauma and relates to specific structures and not to the overall brain.
KW - CHI
KW - Coma
KW - Craniocerebral trauma
KW - Memory
KW - Neuroanatomy
KW - NmTBI
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U2 - 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2012.01.008
DO - 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2012.01.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 22289841
AN - SCOPUS:84857911031
VL - 87
SP - 373
EP - 382
JO - Brain Research Bulletin
JF - Brain Research Bulletin
SN - 0361-9230
IS - 4-5
ER -