Neurobehavioural profile following cumulative mild traumatic brain injury in adolescent rugby players in South Africa

The study investigated the neurobehavioural components of executive dysfunction following sport-related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) in Grade 12 adolescent rugby players over a rugby season. In a non-equivalent quasi-experimental design, a rugby group (n?=?90) were compared with demographically equivalent noncontact sport controls (n?=?59). The Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Functions – Self Report (BRIEF-SR) was employed to assess the neurobehavioural component of executive functions. Independent and dependent t-test analyses were conducted to compare the groups at baseline and end-of-season intervals. The overall findings suggest more pronounced deleterious effects on executive functioning from exposure to the concussive and sub-concussive events among the rugby group. High school rugby players experience adverse neurobehavioural effects in executive dysfunction from contact rugby sport injuries.     

Examining the Prevalence and Predictors of Injury From Adolescent Dating Violence

Medical needs of youth who experience dating violence are not well understood because of limited past research examining the prevalence and predictors of injuries and medical help seeking. To address these gaps, the current study described the prevalence and predictors of injuries from dating violence from grades 8 through 12 in a large sample of youth. Results indicate that one third to one half of youth who experienced any physical and/or sexual dating violence also sustained an injury. Prevalence of injury was highest in the 8th grade and was significantly higher for females than for males across grades 8 through 11. Youth who experienced greater amounts of violent victimization in their relationships (physical, sexual, and psychological) were at the highest risk for injury. Results also suggest that victims at highest risk for injury are girls, White youth, those experiencing multiple types of violence, and those who also engage in perpetration. Given the high prevalence of injury among youth who report dating violence, healthcare professionals may be in a unique position to screen and counsel youth about dating violence. Because the highest prevalence of injury occurred before high school, prevention programs should start early and selected prevention may be used for youth at highest risk for injury.     

Preference for fluent versus disfluent work schedules

Two studies were conducted that examined the preference of a student diagnosed with a brain injury. In Study 1, a preference assessment was followed by a three-choice concurrent-operants reinforcer assessment. Two choices resulted in access to preferred activities for completing work, and a third choice resulted in access to nothing (i.e., no activity). Unpredictably, the participant consistently chose the no-activity option. Study 2 examined why this student preferred work associated with no activity over preferred activities. Through a variety of concurrent-operants procedures, it was determined that she preferred fluent work followed by reinforcers rather than work that was broken up by access to preferred activities. Implications for research on preference are discussed.     

自体血清对腰背肌损伤修复作用的动物实验研究

研究自体血清局部注射对腰背肌损伤的治疗效果。建立动物模型,分组对照研究。共将实验动物分为四组,通过手术造成小鼠腰背部肌肉损伤。之后,在损伤的局部注射生理盐水,或原浓度的自体血清、二倍浓缩的自体血清、四倍浓缩的自体血清。在术后第2、4、7日分别测得各组小鼠腰背肌肌力,求四组小鼠腰背肌肌力的平均值及标准差,比较组内及组间的差异。最后,对实验结果进行了综合分析和讨论。自体血清局部注射处理的小鼠,肌力恢复更加明显,愈合后肌力明显增强,术后第7日各组肌力平均值具有显著性差异,以生理盐水注射组为对照组,原浓度血清组、二倍浓缩组、四倍浓缩组平均腰背肌力均高于对照组。动物模型验证了自体血清局部注射疗法在腰背肌损伤的动物模型中是有效的,可以促进腰背肌损伤的修复和愈合。     

预防性应用盐酸氟桂利嗪对高血糖SD大鼠局部脑缺血再灌注模型bcl-2表达的影响

探讨预防性应用盐酸氟桂利嗪对高血糖Sprague-Dawley(SD)大鼠局部脑缺血再灌注后bcl-2表达的影响,采用高血糖条件下SD大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注模型,36只雄性健康SD大鼠,建立高血糖模型后随机分为2组:高血糖组(n=18)、盐酸氟桂利嗪+高血糖组(简称氟桂利嗪组n=18),各组按脑缺血90min再灌注3h(n=6)、6h(n=6)、24h(n=6)分为3个亚组。应用免疫组织化学方法观察bcl-2的表达。结果氟桂利嗪组bcl-2于再灌注3h可见阳性表达,再灌注6h达高峰,至24h逐渐下降,各时间点之间比较差异显著,P0.01。氟桂利嗪组与高血糖组各再灌注时间点比较,缺血区bcl-2表达增加,差异显著,各时间点均为P0.01。证实预防性应用盐酸氟桂利嗪能使损伤脑区bcl-2表达上调,减轻高血糖条件下的局灶性脑缺血再灌注损伤。     

非肝病治疗药物导致慢性乙型肝炎病毒携带者肝损害现状分析

随着药物种类的增多,药物性肝病的发病率亦增加。由于乙型肝炎病毒携带者肝组织已存在不同程度的损害,比非乙型肝炎病毒感染者更容易发生药物性肝炎。因此,非肝病治疗药物导致慢性乙型肝炎病毒携带者肝损害应引起高度重视。     

Factors Influencing Parental Use of Booster Seats for Their Children

Given that injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes are the primary health threat to children today and children between the ages of four and eight years are the most susceptible to injury because they are the least likely to be restrained appropriately, the purpose of this study was to examine the factors associated with booster seat use using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a model. Results demonstrated that intention to use booster seats significantly predicted self-reported use of booster seats, and attitudes, but not subjective norms or perceived control, predicted the intention to use booster seats. The present study was an initial attempt to add to a limited body of research in the area of child passenger safety. Further research is needed in order to gain a deeper understanding of the factors associated with booster seat use in order to reduce injury in this vulnerable age group.     

The Impact of Motor Activity and Inactivity on the Brain: Implications for the Prevention and Treatment of Nervous- System Disorders

ABSTRACT— Since Donald Hebb's pioneering observations in the 1940s, much research has focused on the effects of variations in physical activity and environmental complexity on behavioral performance and brain structure. Beneficial effects on brain health have been linked to physical fitness, skilled training, and exposure to complex environments, though in rodents these effects may be negated by sudden changes in social structure. Such manipulations can alleviate the deficits associated with several nervous-system disorders and aging. But how increased activity produces its beneficial effects is still not fully understood. How does unskilled physical activity (e.g., repetitive exercise) compare to training in skilled activities or exposure to complex environments? In injury states, is task-specific training a better rehabilitative strategy than general exercise? How do changes in motor activity affect specific brain regions, and can the intensity and timing of therapeutic movement be adjusted to produce optimal outcomes? Are the beneficial effects of motor enrichment banked over periods of inactivity and can they be called upon with booster training to treat a later neurological disorder? Are there circumstances in which increased activity is harmful? Enrichment of physical activity shows promise as an easy and healthful means for improving or restoring brain function, and questions like these are now being investigated so that the full potential of increased activity may be harnessed.     

Immoral behaviour following brain damage: A review

Despite the apparent sociability of human kind, immoral behaviour is ever present in society. The term ‘immoral behaviour’ represents a complex array of conduct, ranging from insensitivity to topics of conversation through to violent assault and murder. To better understand the neuroscience of immoral behaviour, this review investigates two clinical populations that commonly present with changes in moral behaviour – behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia and acquired brain injuries. Based on evidence from these groups, it is argued that rather than a single underlying cause, immoral behaviour can result from three distinct types of cognitive failure: (1) problems understanding others; (2) difficulties controlling behaviour; or (3) deficits in the capacity to make appropriate emotional contributions. Each of these failures is associated with damage to different brain regions. A more nuanced approach to the neuroscience of immoral behaviour has important implications for our understanding of immoral behaviour in a wide range of clinical groups, as well as human society more broadly.     

Evaluating anxiety and depression symptoms in children and adolescents with prior mild traumatic brain injury: Agreement between methods and respondents

Psychological functioning can be adversely impacted after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and may be a potential target for intervention. Despite the use of symptom ratings or structured diagnostic interview to assess long-term anxiety and depression symptoms in children and adolescents post-injury, no known studies have considered the agreement between different assessment methods and between respondents. The objectives of this study were to investigate the agreement between symptom ratings and structured diagnostic interview and between children and parents’ symptom reporting. Participants (N = 33; 9–18 years old) were recruited from the Emergency Department and assessed on average 22.8 months (SD = 5.6) after their mTBI. Anxiety and depression symptoms were evaluated via subscales of a questionnaire (Behavior Assessment System for Children) and parts of a computerized structured diagnostic interview (generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive episode; Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children – C-DISC-IV) administered individually to children and their parents. Results showed that the inter-method agreement to identify high levels of anxiety and depression was moderate to perfect in children while it was lower in parents. Although a similar percentage of participants with elevated anxiety or depression were identified by both children and parents, the agreement between youth and parents was variable, ranging from poor to good for anxiety and poor to moderate for depression. These results highlight the importance of collecting youth and parents’ reports of anxiety and depression symptoms and considering potential discrepancies between informants’ answers.