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Updated: May 26, 2026
Detecting Behavioral Deficits in Rats After Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: January 30, 2018
Self and near relative ratings of functional level one year after traumatic brain injury
Maria Sandhaug1, Nada Andelic, Svein A Berntsen
1Faculty of Health and Sports, Agder University, Kristiansand, Norway. maria.sandhaug@uia.no
Purpose:
To quantify traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients' perceptions of own function by the Patient Competency Rating Scale (PCRS) one year after injury, and to examine self-awareness of functional deficits by comparing PCRS ratings from patients (PCRS-P) and PCRS ratings from near relatives (PCRS-R), and to identify predictors of awareness deficits.
Method:
A cohort of 50 severe (n = 33) and moderate (n = 17) TBI patients. Awareness of deficits was investigated by subtracting PCRS relative ratings from PCRS patient ratings. Predictors of PCRS ratings and differences were assessed by stepwise multiple regression analyses.
Results:
The average patient PCRS sum score was 122/150 (95% CI = 115; 129) as compared to a sum score of 117/150 (95% CI = 110; 125), given by their relatives (p = 0.93). The patients scored themselves slightly higher than their relatives in the domains of activities of daily living (ADL) and cognitive function (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). Regression analyses showed that Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)score at admission to rehabilitation was the strongest predictor of patient PCRS (B = 3.314, p = 0.008). The strongest predictor of differences between patient and relative PCRS was GCS acute (B = -3.530, p = 0.001).
Conclusions:
TBI patients demonstrated a slight "awareness gap" in ADL and cognitive function. Low GCS in the acute phase and high age were the strongest predictors of self- awareness deficits.
