title: Relationship between cognitive and motor performance in physically well-recovered men with traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship between cognitive and motor performance in physically well-recovered men with traumatic brain injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional explorative study in a national neurorehabilitation centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men with post-acute traumatic brain injury (n = 34; aged 19-55 years) who had recovered well physically.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cognitive performance (attention, information processing, cognitive flexibility, motor regulation, praxis of the upper limbs) and motor performance (postural balance, agility, rhythm-co-ordination) were assessed. Partial rank correlation coefficients and analyses of covariance were used to assess the associations between these tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Associations were found between the time taken in both Trail Making tests and performance time in the agility test (r = 0.57). The score on the Digit Symbol test correlated with time in the agility test (r = -0.52). Patients with normal performance in verbal fluency performed the tests of dynamic balance and agility 26% more quickly than those with abnormal performance. Moreover, patients with normal performance in the reproduction of rhythmic structures were 20% faster in the dynamic balance test. Motor functions of the hands associated with all the motor-performance test results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measures of information processing, attention and executive functioning may be associated with motor performance. Apart from the theoretical relevance, the finding of an association between cognitive and motor performance may have clinical relevance with regard to rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre, Nordenskiöldinkatu 18B, FI-00251 Helsinki, Finland. jaana.sarajuuri@invalidiliitto.fi
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sarajuuri
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pasanen
authors.forename: Marjo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rinne
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vartiainen
authors.forename: Tommi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehto
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alaranta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult