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Evaluating task-based brain network activity in pediatric subjects with an mTBI: mechanisms of functional

Scott A Holmes1,2,3, Rajeet Singh-Saluja4, Jen-Kai Chen1

  • 1a Cognitive Neurosciences Unit , McGill University , Montreal , Canada.

Brain Injury
|December 4, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Children with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) show altered brain activity during spatial navigation tasks. Brain imaging reveals symptom-dependent patterns, suggesting objective measures for mTBI assessment.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) diagnosis relies heavily on subjective patient-reported symptoms.
  • Objective biomarkers are needed for accurate mTBI assessment, especially in pediatric populations.
  • Task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) offers a potential objective measure of brain function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate differences in brain activity during a spatial navigation task between children with mTBI and healthy controls (HCs).
  • To explore the relationship between mTBI symptom severity and brain activity patterns.
  • To evaluate fMRI as an objective tool for assessing mTBI in children.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 27 children diagnosed with mTBI and 27 healthy controls (HCs).
  • Divided mTBI participants into low-symptom and high-symptom groups based on reported symptoms.
  • Administered a spatial navigation task involving landmark identification while participants underwent fMRI scanning.

Main Results:

  • Low-symptom mTBI group showed increased frontal and occipital cortical activity compared to HCs, despite similar symptom levels.
  • High-symptom mTBI group reported more symptoms than HCs and exhibited increased activity in more brain regions.
  • No significant difference in reported symptoms was found between the low-symptom mTBI group and HCs.

Conclusions:

  • Children with mTBI exhibit distinct, symptom-dependent alterations in task-related brain activity.
  • fMRI during spatial navigation may serve as an objective biomarker for mTBI in pediatric patients.
  • Symptom severity correlates with the extent of altered brain activity in children with mTBI.

Keywords:
adaptationfunctional MRIfunctional compensationmild traumatic brain injuryspatial navigation

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