Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. 23(1):33–40, JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2008
DOI: 10.1097/01.HTR.0000308719.70288.22
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PMID: 18219233
Issn Print: 0885-9701
Publication Date: January-February 2008
Objective Measurement of Fatigue Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Teresa Ashman;Joshua Cantor;Wayne Gordon;Lisa Spielman;Matthew Egan;Annika Ginsberg;Clara Engmann;Marcel Dijkers;Steven Flanagan;
+ Author Information
From the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.
Abstract
To quantify posttraumatic brain injury (post-TBI) mental fatigue objectively by documenting changes in performance on neuropsychological tests as a result of sustained mental effort and to examine the relationship between objectively measured mental fatigue and self-reported situational and day-to-day fatigue.The study included 202 community-dwelling individuals with mild-severe TBI and 73 noninjured controls.Measures included Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, Global Fatigue Index, and situational fatigue rating.Subjects were administered a 30-minute computerized neuropsychological test battery 3 times. The second and third administrations of the battery were separated by approximately 2 hours of interviews and administration of self-report measures.The neuropsychological test scores were factor analyzed, yielding 3 subscales: speed, accuracy, and executive function. Situational fatigue and day-to-day fatigue were significantly higher in individual with TBI group than in individuals without TBI and were associated with speed subscale scores. Individuals with TBI evidenced a significant decline in performance on the accuracy subscale score. These declines in performance related to sustained mental effort were not associated with subjective fatigue in the TBI group. While practice effects on the speed and accuracy scores were observed in non–brain-injured individuals, they were not evidenced in individuals with TBI.Findings were largely consistent with previous literature and indicated that while subjective fatigue is associated with poor performance in individuals with TBI, it is not associated with objective decline in performance of mental tasks.
