Hippocampal head atrophy after traumatic brain injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes hippocampal damage. The hippocampus can be macroscopically divided into the head, body and tail, which differ in terms of their sensitivity to excitability and also in terms of their cortical connections. We investigated whether damage also varies according to the hippocampal area involved, and studied the relationship of hippocampal reductions with memory performance. Twenty TBI patients and matched controls were examined. MRI measurements were performed separately for the hippocampal head, body and tail. Memory outcome was measured by Rey's auditory verbal learning test, Rey's complex figure test and a modified version of Warrington's facial recognition memory test. Group comparison showed that patients had bilateral hippocampal atrophy, mainly involving the hippocampal head. Moreover, TBI subjects showed verbal memory deficits which presented slight correlations with left hippocampal head atrophy.
Ariza
Mar
M
Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Serra-Grabulosa
Josep M
JM
Junqué
Carme
C
Ramírez
Blanca
B
Mataró
Maria
M
Poca
Antonia
A
Bargalló
Nuria
N
Sahuquillo
Juan
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001284:Atrophy; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies