fMRI Study Reveals Older Patients Take Longer to Recover from Concussion

The researchers used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to evaluate how the age of a patient affected the performance of working memory performance, and functional activation in the brain, following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI).

The study included 13 patients aged 21–30 years, and 13 patients aged 51-68 years. All patients had been diagnosed with MTBI, and the researchers included 26 age- and gender-matched controls. The researchers performed the first fMRI scan one month or less after injury, and a follow-up scan six weeks after that. The researchers analyzed symptoms, working memory activity, and neuropsychological test results in all patients.

Concussion or Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) accounts for 75% of TBI cases, and often results in difficulties with working memory. In most of these patients Computed Tomography (CT), and conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) do not reveal abnormal findings.

The results of the initial and follow-up study showed that young patients had a significantly lower post-concussion symptom score, at follow-up, compared to the initial exam, whereas no significant difference in the score was found in older patients, who also showed persistent hypo-activation. The results show that separate management strategies need to be developed for concussion injuries in different age groups.

Coauthor of the study, Ying-Chi Tseng, MD, Department of Radiology, Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University (New Taipei City, Taiwan), said, “Taken together, these findings provide evidence for differential neural plasticity across different ages, with potential prognostic and therapeutic implications. The results suggest that MTBI might cause a more profound and lasting effect in older patients.”

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Shuang-Ho Hospital