Title "Predicting change in performance on a computerized measure of attention after mild Traumatic Brain Injury." Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, June 2008, Boston, MA.

Abstract:
Background: Following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), cognitive symptoms typically resolve by 3 months. However, persistent cognitive symptoms may occur associated with female gender, age, socioeconomic status, alcohol abuse, history of prior TBI, and extent of trauma. 
Specific Aim: 1. To assess if predictors of persistent PCS also predict performance on an attention measure at various time periods post injury.
Methods: Forty-five individuals with mTBI were assessed with the Running Memory Test (RMT) from the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metric (ANAM) test system at multiple time points.
Results: Performance on the RMT did not improve between 7-10 days and 3 months post-injury (mean change = -0.079, SD=13.11).  However, improvement was noted between 7-10 days and 6 months post-injury was 5.495 (SD=10.56), and between 7-10 days and 12 months post-injury 7.04 (SD=15.3). Between 7-10 days and 6 months post-injury, history of alcohol dependence predicted decreased improvement on RMT controlling for other factors in the model (p < .01).  This effect persisted between 7-10 days and 12 months post-injury (p < .01).  Male gender predicted increased improvement at 12 months (p=.04).
Conclusions: Factors relating to persistent PCS also relate to a measure of attention at different time intervals.