Early and delayed auditory oddball ERPs and brain MRI in patients with MTBI.
BACKGROUND
Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is a common neurotraumatologic diagnosis. It is possible to confirm objective cognitive impairment in MTBI patients not only by complex neuropsychological testing but also by event-related potentials (ERPs). The most common ERPs used in clinical practice are based on an oddball paradigm. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not routinely used in MTBI despite its proven greater sensitivity and specificity in comparison with computer tomography (CT).


METHODS
This study investigated 31 MTBI patients and 31 sex and age-matched healthy controls. Both groups underwent clinical neurological examinations. Auditory oddball ERPs and brain MRI were done early after the injury and 3-7 months later.


RESULTS
There were no significant sex, age and education differences between the analysed groups. No significant differences were found in N2 and P3 wave parameters in both ERP examinations.


CONCLUSIONS
Standard auditory oddball ERPs are not sensitive enough to detect and/or quantify subtle objective neuropsychological changes in selected MTBI patients, especially those with traumatic MRI brain lesions. More complex auditory or other oddball paradigms have to be tested in the future.
Sivák
S
S
Clinic of Neurology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Martin, Slovak Republic. sivak@jfmed.uniba.sk
Kurca
E
E
Hladká
M
M
Zelenák
K
K
Turcanová-Koprusáková
M
M
Michalik
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed