title: Cognitive recovery after severe traumatic brain injury in children/adolescents and adults: similar positive outcome but different underlying pathways?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Does younger age at the time of severe traumatic brain injury (STBI) protect from cognitive symptoms? To answer this question, the authors compared the neuropsychological profile of late school-age children/adolescents and young adult patients at mid- and long-term recovery periods (6 and 12 months post-STBI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight children/adolescents and 26 clinically matched adults were tested on measures of general intelligence, attention, executive functions, visuoperceptual, visuospatial and visuoconstructive abilities. Coma duration and the post-acute Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score were used as predictor variables in a series of regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children/adolescents and adults similarly improved on most measures, except for visuospatial and visuoconstructive skills, which worsened in time for children/adolescents. Coma duration significantly predicted performance IQ and visuoperceptual scores in children/adolescents. The GOS score significantly predicted performance and verbal IQ, sustained attention, visuoconstructive and long-term memory skills. Coma duration predicted executive function skills in both age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (1) No evidence was found for a neuroprotective effect of younger age at STBI; and (2) Coma duration and GOS score predicted neuropsychological recovery in children/adolescents and adults, respectively. This suggests the existence of underlying age-specific recovery processes after STBI.
authors.affiliation: Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, 'Eugenio Medea' Scientific Institute , Bosisio Parini (LC) , Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tavano
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galbiati
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Recla
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bardoni
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dominici
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pastore
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strazzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001288:Attention; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D057567:Memory, Long-Term; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013997:Time Factors; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices
keywords: Age; coma duration; glasgow outcome scale; neuropsychological recovery; reserve capacity effect