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Measures of prefrontal dysfunction after closed head injury
D A Gansler1, S Covall, N McGrath
1Psychology Service, Boston Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Boston, MA 02130, USA.
Brain and Cognition
|March 1, 1996
Summary
Patients with closed-head injury (CHI) struggle with tasks requiring set establishment, indicating frontal lobe dysfunction. This impacts cognitive functions like alternation and set-shifting, suggesting orbitofrontal system damage.
Area of Science:
- Neuropsychology
- Neurology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Closed-head injury (CHI) can lead to persistent cognitive deficits.
- Frontal lobe dysfunction is a common consequence of CHI, affecting executive functions.
- Understanding specific cognitive impairments is crucial for rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess frontal lobe functions in patients with post-acute CHI.
- To identify specific cognitive tasks sensitive to CHI-related brain damage.
- To explore the relationship between performance deficits and potential brain regions affected.
Main Methods:
- Administered a battery of frontal lobe-sensitive tasks to 20 CHI patients.
- Included tasks such as delayed response, delayed alternation, object alternation, and Wisconsin Card Sort Test.
- Compared patient performance to normal controls.
Main Results:
- CHI patients showed no deficits in delayed response tasks.
- Significant impairments were observed in delayed alternation, object alternation, and the Wisconsin Card Sort Test.
- Performance profiles suggested difficulties in establishing cognitive set.
Conclusions:
- CHI impairs specific executive functions, particularly those related to set establishment and shifting.
- Difficulties in tasks like object alternation and Wisconsin Card Sort point to orbitofrontal system dysfunction.
- These findings highlight the need for targeted cognitive interventions for CHI survivors.