title: Diffusion tensor imaging and volumetric analysis of the ventral striatum in adults with traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to determine if there are changes in the integrity and volume of the ventral striatum following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and if these changes relate to executive functioning.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study recruited 14 participants with severe TBI (mean age: 22 years) and 15 demographically-matched controls. All participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and volumetric analysis at 6 months post-injury. Participants with TBI underwent neuropsychological testing and the relation between imaging data and cognitive performance was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Differences in DTI parameters (fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)) were found between participants with TBI and controls. Correlations between right and left ventral striatum ADC and the executive functioning factor of the Neurobehavioural Rating Scale-Revised (NRS-R) were found. Correlations between right ventral striatum FA and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Trails Making Test Part B (TMT-B) time and NRS-R executive functioning factor were also found. Volumetric analysis showed a difference only in left nucleus accumbens between TBI and control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The integrity of the ventral striatum is affected following severe TBI. Decreases in executive functioning are related to damage to the ventral striatum and its associated structures.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Sanjeev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Ragini
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yallampalli
authors.forename: Tricia L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Merkley
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: McCauley
authors.forename: Erin D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Bigler
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Macleod
authors.forename: Zili
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Xiaoqi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Troyanskaya
authors.forename: Jill V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Harvey S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Elisabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Wilde
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D055815:Young Adult