Assessing connectivity related injury burden in diffuse traumatic brain injury

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Brain Injury Research

Background:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often causes diffuse axonal injury (DAI), disrupting brain networks.
• Quantifying diffuse connectivity alterations in TBI remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a connectome injury score, the Disruption Index of the Structural Connectome (DISC), to summarize TBI-induced connectivity abnormalities.
• To assess the relationship between DISC, clinical outcomes, and cognitive performance in TBI patients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in 40 moderate-to-severe TBI patients and 35 healthy controls.
• Calculated the DISC score to quantify cumulative structural connectivity alterations.
• Performed behavioral assessments including global outcomes and neuropsychological tests.

Main Results:

• Hub-like brain regions with high betweenness centrality were most affected by diffuse TBI.
• A subgroup of TBI patients with similar connectivity profiles showed poorer cognitive function.
• DISC scores significantly correlated with post-traumatic amnesia, verbal learning, executive function, and processing speed.

Conclusions:

• The DISC score effectively summarizes diffuse structural connectivity alterations after TBI.
• Assessing structural connectivity changes may aid in developing patient-oriented diagnostic and prognostic tools for TBI.
• Findings highlight the impact of DAI on brain network integrity and cognitive function.