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Published on: November 19, 2012
Neuropsychological Profiles of Deployment-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A LIMBIC-CENC Study
Nicola L de Souza1, Hannah M Lindsey1, Katherine Dorman1
1From the Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance (N.L.D., K.D., C.E.), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion Center (H.M.L., E.L.D., D.F.T., E.A.W.), Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; George E. Wahlen VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System (H.M.L., E.L.D., D.F.T., E.A.W.), UT; VA Salt Lake City Health Care System (E.K., M.J.V.P.), Informatics, Decision-Enhancement and Analytic Sciences Center, UT; Department of Medicine (E.K., M.J.V.P.), Division of Epidemiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (D.S.M., R.S.S., M.T.), Houston, TX; The Menninger Psychiatric and Behavioral Services Department (D.S.M.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; Department of Interdisciplinary Studies (J.S.P., Y.J.), School of Health Professions, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (W.C.W., D.X.C.), School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (W.C.W., D.X.C.), Richmond Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA; Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence (J.M.B.), Bethesda, MD; Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton (J.M.B.), Camp Pendleton, CA; General Dynamics Information Technology (J.M.B.), Fairfax, VA; Minneapolis VA Health Care System (N.D.D.), MN; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (N.D.D., S.R.S.), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Research and Academic Affairs Service Line (S.L.M., J.A.R.), W. G. (Bill) Hefner VA Healthcare System, Salisbury, NC; Department of Translational Neuroscience (S.L.M., J.A.R.), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; VA Portland Health Care System (M.O.), Portland, OR; Oregon Health & Science University (M.O.), Department of Psychiatry and Department of Medicine Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Portland; Mid-Atlantic (VISN-6) Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) (S.L.M., J.A.R.), Durham, NC; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy (J.A.R.), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; H. Ben Taub Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (R.S.S., M.T.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; Minneapolis VA Health Care System (S.R.S.), MN.
Background And Objectives:
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a concern for US service members and veterans (SMV), leading to heterogeneous psychological and cognitive outcomes. We sought to identify neuropsychological profiles of mild TBI (mTBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the largest SMV sample to date.
Methods:
We analyzed cross-sectional baseline data from SMV with prior combat deployments enrolled in the ongoing Long-term Impact of Military-relevant Brain Injury Consortium-Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium prospective longitudinal study. Latent profile analysis identified symptom profiles using 35 indicators, including physical symptoms, depression, quality of life, sleep quality, postconcussive symptoms, and cognitive performance. It is important to note that the profiles were determined independently of mTBI and probable PTSD status. After profile identification, we examined associations between demographic variables, mTBI characteristics, and PTSD symptoms with symptom profile membership.
Results:
The analytic sample included 1,659 SMV (mean age 41.1 ± 10.0 years; 87% male); among them 29% (n = 480) had a history of non-deployment-related mTBI only, 14% (n = 239) had deployment-related mTBI only, 36% (n = 602) had both non-deployment and deployment-related mTBI, and 30% (n = 497) met criteria for probable PTSD. A 6-profile model had the best fit, with separation on all indicators (p < 0.001). The model revealed distinct neuropsychological profiles, representing a combination of 3 self-reported functioning patterns: high (HS), moderate (MS), and low (LS), and 2 cognitive performance patterns: high (HC) and low (LC). The profiles were (1) HS/HC: n=301, 18.1%; (2) HS/LC: n=294, 17.7%; (3) MS/HC: n=359, 21.6%; (4) MS/LC: n=316, 19.0%; (5) LS/HC: n=228, 13.7%; and (6) LS/LC: n=161, 9.7%. SMV with deployment-related mTBI tended to be grouped into lower functioning profiles and were more likely to meet criteria for probable PTSD. Conversely, SMV with no mTBI exposure or non-deployment-related mTBI were clustered in higher functioning profiles and had a lower likelihood of meeting criteria for probable PTSD.
Discussion:
Findings suggest varied symptom and functional profiles in SMV, influenced by injury context and probable PTSD comorbidity. Despite diagnostic challenges, comprehensive assessment of functioning and cognition can detect subtle differences related to mTBI and PTSD, revealing distinct neuropsychological profiles. Prioritizing early treatment based on these profiles may improve prognostication and support efficient recovery.
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