Objective: To explore the multiple specific biomarkers and cognitive compensatory mechanisms of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients at recovery stage.
Methods: The experiment was performed in two sections. In Section I, using event-related potential, event-related oscillation and spatial phase-synchronization, we explored neural dynamics in 24 volunteered healthy controls (HC) and 38 patients at least 6 months post-mTBI (19 with epidural hematoma, EDH; 19 with subdural hematoma, SDH) during a Go/NoGo task. In Section II, according to the neuropsychological scales, patients were divided into sub-groups to assess these electroencephalography (EEG) indicators in identifying different rehabilitation outcomes of mTBI.
Results: In Section I, mean amplitudes of NoGo-P3 and P3d were decreased in mTBI patients relative to HC, and NoGo-theta power in the non-injured hemisphere was decreased in SDH patients only. In Section II, patients with chronic neuropsychological defects exhibited more serious impairments of intra-hemispheric connectivity, whereas inter-hemispheric centro-parietal and frontal connectivity were enhanced in response to lesions.
Conclusions: EEG distinguished mTBI patients from healthy controls, and estimated different rehabilitation outcomes of mTBI. The centro-parietal and frontal connectivity are the main compensatory mechanism for the recovery of mTBI patients.
Significance: EEG measurements and network connectivity can track recovery process and mechanism of mTBI.
Keywords: Event-related oscillations; Event-related potentials; Functional connectivity; Go/NoGo task; Neuropsychological assessment; mTBI.
Copyright © 2021 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.