Kessler Foundation scientists received 4 grants from the Recent Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research, totaling nearly $1.7 million for studies based on quite a lot of novel approaches aimed toward improving the lives of people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Researchers will use funds to handle identity reconstruction, physical and mental fatigue, and upper limb (UL) function.
Helen Genova, PhD, associate director, Center for Autism Research, received $528,824 for her study, “Using my Strengths: Evaluation of a Strength-Based Intervention in Adults with TBl.” Probably the most devastating effects of TBI is the lack of one’s identity: individuals with TBI can experience marked changes in personality, emotional functioning, behaviors, and interests following their injury in comparison with before. “Identity reconstruction has been identified as a critical rehabilitation goal for TBI since the transition of identity may be difficult: it is commonly related to depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life,” explained Dr. Genova.
“Our web-based behavioral study will likely be the primary to guage a strength-based intervention in TBI with a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to find out whether it improves identity reconstruction, in addition to positive emotions, life satisfaction, and well-being,” she added. “Our long-term goal is to implement a scalable, accessible, and effective strength-based intervention within the TBI community to empower individuals to make use of their inherent strengths to guide meaningful lives,” asserted Dr. Genova.
Glenn Wylie, DPhil, director, Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center, received $505,558 for his study, “An Investigation of the Interaction of Physical and Mental Fatigue in TBI.” Each mental and physical fatigue is a prevalent symptom in quite a lot of neurological disorders including the damage sustained by the brain following TBI. “Now we have demonstrated success in measuring mental fatigue using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and have identified a network of brain regions which might be sensitive to mental fatigue. On this project, we propose to leverage our knowledge of mental fatigue to higher understand how physical fatigue and mental fatigue are related to at least one one other,” said Dr. Wylie.
Preliminary data suggest that physical and mental fatigue interact and that this interaction is related to the basal ganglia. “This finding suggests that interventions resembling pharmaceuticals or exercise that affect levels of dopamine within the brain may help to alleviate fatigue,” he asserted.
Ekaterina Dobryakova, PhD, assistant director, Neuroscience Research within the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research, received $452,366 for her study “The Effects of Effort on Fatigue and Brain Activity in Individuals with TBI.” Cognitive fatigue, a rarely investigated symptom that lacks effective treatments, stays a pervasive negative symptom in individuals with brain injury. The neural and behavioral aspects related to cognitive fatigue remain poorly understood as a result of small sample sizes and experimental design limitations. “This study goals to research the correlation between cognitive fatigue levels, reward perception in various cognitive tasks, and brain activity. It would also explore individual differences in brain activation between individuals with high and low cognitive fatigue during demanding actions,” explained Dr. Dobryakova.
Moreover, the research will develop a patient-centered rehabilitation approach by translating behavioral and neuroimaging findings right into a treatment protocol. “By understanding the aspects influencing cognitive fatigue and its neural basis, targeted interventions and treatment strategies may be developed for specific neural circuits,” she concluded.
Peii (Peggy) Chen, PhD, senior research scientist, Center for Stroke Rehabilitation Research, received $173,949 for her study “Tele-rehabilitation to Restore Upper Limb Function in Chronic TBI.” Upper limb (UL) function is commonly impaired and never fully recovered after moderate-to-severe TBI, resulting in devastating consequences and reducing quality of life.
This proposed pilot research project will examine two UL exercise programs through tele-rehabilitation techniques. “Each programs are focused on functional tasks and day by day activities,” said Dr. Chen. “One program is using day by day objects and activities for exercise, called the home-based arm and hand exercise (HAHE) program. The opposite program is delivered through simulated, real-world scenarios using the exercise video game (Exergame). Participants will likely be randomized into either program, completing the assigned exercise for six weeks on their very own with distant consultation from an occupational therapist,” she added. The study will establish the efficacy of every program on UL function and quality of life.