Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Brain Arteriovenous Malformations: The Long Way Ahead In Physics, Chemistry And Mr-Angiography Practice Before Fully Replacing Digital Subtraction Angiography., Subhendra N. Sarkar

Publications and Research

Typically, only high field systems are equipped with stronger gradients and short RF pulse designs, a must for high temporal resolution that are also responsible for high SAR, high susceptibility as well as neurostimulation. Gradient induced image noise tends to be high at 3T. Often vendors try to ameliorate such increased image noise with multi-channel head arrays and aggressive filter designs allowing an appearance of high SNR and CNR quality; however, the achievable SNR and CNR in the AVM remain limited as the analyzed articles by Zhuo et al seem to have in common. A short term solution to harvest …

Analysis Of Imaging Database And Identifying Novel Mri Diffusion Abnormalities In Alzheimer’S Disease, Analia Basilicata, Jennifer Padilla, Anjalee Rabbani, Anam Riaz

Publications and Research

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is presumably caused by two neuropathological protein markers: amyloid beta (Aβ) and neuro fibrillary tangles. Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) collects high quality patient data from standardized clinical trials using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) biomarkers to diagnose and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment for AD. MRI and PET screening for Alzheimer’s Disease aim to find structural, functional, and neurochemical abnormalities causing or caused by AD brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and Resting State functional MRI (RSfMRI) are emerging AD MRI tools. Tau PET is a promising method for …

Synthesis And Biomedical Applications Of Hollow Iron Oxide Nanoparticles, Aloka S. Paragoda Arachchilage

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Nano-scale materials have gained much attention during the past few decades due to the stark differences in their properties compared to bulk material. Thus, they are being studied for a myriad of applications ranging from harnessing solar energy to diagnostics. This thesis focuses on the synthesis of hollow iron oxide nanoparticles using Galvanic replacement reactions and their application in drug delivery. Moreover, the use of a peptide precursor for the enhancement of exosomes is also discussed.

Chapter 1 discusses a simple and economical Galvanic approach used for the synthesis of hollow one-dimensional iron oxide nanotubes. In the initial reaction, the …

Soft X-Ray And Susceptibility Based Magnetic Resonance Imaging To Map Iron Distribution In Apples: Initial Results To Model Iron Storage In Water-Deficient Or Dehydrated Biological Tissue, Subhendra N. Sarkar, Eric Lobel, Evans Lespinasse, Zoya Vinokur, Analia Basilicata, Sonia Orellana, Maria Orellana, Aaliyah Salmon, Joanna Syska, Aravis Mcbroom, Jian Wang, Anam Riaz, Jodi-Ann Douglas

Publications and Research

Radiology departments have contributed significantly to greenhouse gases including release of toxic imaging contrast media to environment. We feel Radiology also has several spectroscopy and imaging tools that may apply to monitor and support cleaner environmental goals. The current manuscript is one of the firsts to prompt Radiology to move in that direction by non invasive imaging of bio metals that are less abundant in biological tissues but play key roles as co-factors in tissue structure and function. Conventional analytical tools are mostly invasive and cannot characterize the native oxidation states of bio metals. We chose carbohydrate matrix of metal-rich …

Standard Deviations Of Mr Signal Intensities Show A Consistent Trend During Imaging Follow-Ups For Glioblastoma Patients When Corrected For Non-Biological Heterogeneity Due To Hardware And Software Variation, Subhendra N. Sarkar, Rafael Rojas, Evans Lespinasse, Xiangfu Zhang, Ruth Zeron

Publications and Research

Introduction

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has a poor prognosis in spite of advanced MRI guided treatments today. Routine MRI using conventional T₁ or advanced permeability based MRI of GBM often does not adequately represent changing tumor phases or overall survival. In this work, region of interest (ROI) based tissue MR standard deviation (SD) is demonstrated as an important MRI variable that could be a potential biomarker of GBM heterogeneity and radioresistance.

Materials and methods

MRI characterization is often qualitative and lacks reproducibility. Using standardized MRI phantoms we have normalized retrospective records of 12 radioresistant GBM patients that underwent radiation therapy …

Standard Deviations Of Mr Signal Intensities Show A Consistent Trend During Imaging Follow-Ups For Glioblastoma Patients When Corrected For Non-Biological Heterogeneity Due To Hardware And Software Variation, Subhendra N. Sarkar, Rafael Rojas, Evans Lespinasse, Xiang Fu Zhang, Ruth Zeron

Publications and Research

Introduction: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has a poor prognosis in spite of advanced MRI guided treatments today. Routine MRI using conventional T1 or advanced permeability based MRI of GBM often does not adequately represent changing tumor phases or overall survival. In this work, region of interest (ROI) based tissue MR standard deviation (SD) is demonstrated as an important MRI variable that could be a potential biomarker of GBM heterogeneity and radioresistance. Materials and methods: MRI characterization is often qualitative and lacks reproducibility. Using standardized MRI phantoms we have normalized retrospective records of 12 radioresistant GBM patients that underwent radiation therapy (RT) …

A Survey Based-Study Reviewing The Career Opportunities For Student In Radiological Technology, Tatiana Ryzhakova, Mikhail Kun, Peber Dejesus, Zoya Vinokur

Publications and Research

Recent graduates lack the knowledge of many career opportunities there is after earning a Radiology Technology (RT) certification. The purpose of this study is to investigate how much knowledge students have as a student becomes certified for RT. This study will also represent RT workers' experience today. Questionnaires will be spread to the students in order to determine the level of knowledge of career opportunities they have in the career. The in-depth questions will target the career options in the radiology field; they also will include questions that ask for the age and demographics of students forming the part of …

Designing Of X-Ray Beams To Assess Mineral Loss In Dehydrated Fruits – Radiology Readiness During Climate Change, Angela Moore, Katie Tam

Publications and Research

Key minerals such as iron, manganese and copper are necessary for optimal health and vitality of human beings. These minerals are within the biomolecules of food, particularly in fruits and are not detectable without destroying their natural biochemical roles. A compilation was done on average mineral compositions for multiple apple varieties from USDA and academic horticulture research labs to design the x-ray beams in the low energy ranges in our mammography system that provide “soft” x-rays for imaging light-weight atoms. In this project homemade external filters like Aluminum sheets, Iodine and Gadolinium contrast media were developed to modify low energy …

Reducing Liver Cancer Risk Through Dietary Change: Positive Results From A Community-Based Educational Initiative In Three Racial/Ethnic Groups, Lin Zhu, Ellen Jaeson Kim, Evelyn González, Marilyn A. Fraser, Steven Zhu, Nathaly Rubio-Torio, Grace X. Ma, Ming-Chin Yeh, Yin Tan

Publications and Research

Dietary behaviors and alcohol consumption have been linked to liver disease and liver cancer. So far, most of the liver cancer awareness campaigns and behavioral interventions have focused on preventive behaviors such as screening and vaccination uptake, while few incorporated dietary aspects of liver cancer prevention. We implemented a community-based education initiative for liver cancer prevention among the African, Asian, and Hispanic populations within the Greater Philadelphia and metropolitan New York City areas. Data from the baseline and the 6-month follow-up surveys were used for the assessment of changes in dietary behaviors and alcohol consumption among participants. In total, we …

Microalbuminuria And Hypertension Among Immigrants With Type 2 Diabetes: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study, Shiryn D. Sukhram, Gustavo G. Zarini, Lemia H. Shaban, Joan A. Vaccaro, Fatma G. Huffman

Publications and Research

Purpose: This study examined the association of microalbuminuria (MAU), as determined by albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), with hypertension (HTN) among Turkish immigrants with type 2 diabetes (T2D) living in deprived neighborhoods of The Hague, Netherlands. Methods: A total of 110 participants, physician-diagnosed with T2D, aged ≥ 30 years were recruited from multiple sources from The Hague, Netherlands in a cross-sectional design. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured using automated office blood pressure equipment. Urine albumin was measured by immunoturbidimetric assay. Urine creatinine was determined using the Jaffe method. MAU was defined as ACR ≥ 3.5 mg/mmol …

Neuroanatomy In Mild Cognitive Impairment: Relationship To Functional Skills, Treatment Expectancy, And Comorbid Depression, Sara Rushia

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a neurocognitive disorder defined by cognitive decline in older adults. Although MCI has been studied for decades, there remain important areas to be explored in order to adequately characterize aspects of this disorder that provide information valuable for possible interventions and disease progression to dementia, including a better understanding of the neuroanatomical variables relevant to this disorder. Such neuroanatomical variables include cortical thickness, hippocampal volume, and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). This dissertation consists of three separate studies aimed at addressing gaps in the literature on MCI in relation to brain morphometrics and under-studied characteristics involved …

The Global Implementation Of Dolutegravir For Hiv Treatment, Matthew L. Romo

Dissertations and Theses

Background
Dolutegravir, an integrase strand transfer inhibitor, is now recommended by international guidelines as part of preferred antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens for people living with HIV. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), HIV treatment programs are transitioning from non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) to dolutegravir because of its superior efficacy and tolerability, and high genetic barrier to HIV drug resistance. Along with the optimism surrounding widespread dolutegravir use, key questions regarding its implementation have emerged. In this dissertation, I sought to achieve the following specific aims: Aim 1: Characterize dolutegravir uptake in LMICs and identify potential disparities related to sex …

Imaging Of Transmetallation And Chelation Phenomena Involving Radiological Contrast Agents In Mineral-Rich Fruits, Subhendra Sarkar, Zoya Vinokur, Bleidis Buitrago, Lin Mousa, Hayley Sanchez, Analia Basilicata, Jodi-Ann Douglas, Seanetta Reddock

Publications and Research

Exogenous heavy metals or non-metallic waste products, for example lanthanide or iodinated contrast media for radiological procedures, may interfere with the biochemical pools in patients and in common food sources, creating an excess buildup of exogenous compounds which may reach toxic levels. Although the mechanisms are unknown, our experiments were designed to test if this toxicity can be attributed to “transmetallation” or “chelation” reactions freeing up lanthanides or chelated transition metals in acidic fruits used as phantoms representing the biologically active and mineral-rich carbohydrate matrix. The rapid breakdown of stable contrast agents have been reported at a lower pH. The …

Treatment Of Gravitational Pulling Sensation In Patients With Mal De Debarquement Syndrome (Mdds): A Model-Based Approach, Sergei B. Yakushin, Theodore Raphan, Catherine Cho

Publications and Research

Perception of the spatial vertical is important for maintaining and stabilizing vertical posture during body motion. The velocity storage pathway of vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), which integrates vestibular, optokinetic, and proprioception in the vestibular nuclei vestibular-only (VO) neurons, has spatio-temporal properties that are defined by eigenvalues and eigenvectors of its system matrix. The yaw, pitch and roll eigenvectors are normally aligned with the spatial vertical and corresponding head axes. Misalignment of the roll eigenvector with the head axes was hypothesized to be an important contributor to the oscillating vertigo during MdDS. Based on this, a treatment protocol was developed using simultaneous …

Medical Norm Of Psychiatric Misdiagnoses In Rare Disease Patients, Rachel Han

Publications and Research

Spring 2022 ENG 120 Student Final Research Paper on the medical norm of psychiatric misdiagnosis throughout the diagnostic journeys of rare disease patients. The idea of a norm was taken from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Tedx Talk "The Danger of a Single Story". Paper discusses prevalence, harmful effects, and origin of this medical norm. Includes discussion of statistical data quoted relating to prevalence of rare diseases as well as anecdotal evidence of the severe ramifications of this norm. Discussion of how medically unexplained symptoms such as mysterious chronic pain often lead to the phenomenon of the psychogenic inference. Origins of this …

Maternal Wellness: Self, Matrescence, Obstetric Violence, And Self-Care, Vanessa V. Vales-Lewis

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this dissertation, I engage in a self-study through an examination of my experience of matrescence (i.e., the transition to motherhood). I discuss my praxis in the development of a self-study on maternal wellness as it applies to my well-being as both a researcher and the researched. In Chapter 1, I preface this study by highlighting critical scholars and the bricoleurs who have been foundational in my undertaking of this work on a narrative study on maternal wellness. Using bricolage as part of a research methodological framework that involved key scholarly methodologies of authentic inquiry, emergence and contingence, and narratology, …

Results Of A Phase 1, Randomized, Placebocontrolled First-In-Human Trial Of Griffithsin Formulated In A Carrageenan Vaginal Gel, Natalia Teleshova, Maria J. Keller, José A. Fernández Romero, Barbara A. Friedland, George W. Creasy, Marlena G. Plagianos, Laurie Ray, Patrick Barnable, Larisa Kizima, Aixa Rodriguez, Nadjet Cornejal, Claudia Melo, Gearoff Cruz Rodriguez, Sampurna Mukhopadhyay, Giulia Calenda, Shweta U. Sinkar, Thierry Bonnaire, Asa Wesenberg, Shimin Zhang, Kyle Kleinbeck, Kenneth Palmer, Mohcine Alami, Barry R. O'Keefe, Patrick Gillevet, Hong Hur, Yupu Liang, Gabriela Santone, Raina N. Fichorova, Tamara Kalir, Thomas M. Zydowsky

Publications and Research

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is dominated by clinical therapeutic antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. Griffithsin (GRFT) is a non-ARV lectin with potent anti-HIV activity. GRFT’s preclinical safety, lack of systemic absorption after vaginal administration in animal studies, and lack of cross-resistance with existing ARV drugs prompted its development for topical HIV PrEP. We investigated safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and immunogenicity of PC-6500 (0.1% GRFT in a carrageenan (CG) gel) in healthy women after vaginal administration. This randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group, double-blind first-in-human phase 1 study enrolled healthy, HIV-negative, non-pregnant women aged 24–45 years. In the open label period, all participants (n …

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation On Parkinson’S Disease: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Paloma Cristina Alves De Oliveira, Thiago Anderson Brito De Araújo, Daniel Gomes Da Silva Machado, Abner Cardoso Rodrigues, Marom Bikson, Suellen Marinho Andrade, Alexandre Hideki Okano, Hougelle Simplicio, Rodrigo Pegado, Edgard Morya

Publications and Research

Background: Clinical impact of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) alone for Parkinson’s disease (PD) is still a challenge. Thus, there is a need to synthesize available results, analyze methodologically and statistically, and provide evidence to guide tDCS in PD.

Objective: Investigate isolated tDCS effect in different brain areas and number of stimulated targets on PD motor symptoms.

Methods: A systematic review was carried out up to February 2021, in databases: Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of science. Full text articles evaluating effect of active tDCS (anodic or cathodic) vs. sham or control on motor symptoms of PD were …

Glycocalyx Mechanotransduction Mechanisms Are Involved In Renal Cancer Metastasis, Heriberto Moran, Limary M. Cancel, Peigen Huang, Sylvie Roberge, Tuoye Xu, John M. Tarbell, Lance L. Munn

Publications and Research

Mammalian cells, including cancer cells, are covered by a surface layer containing cell bound proteoglycans, glycoproteins, associated glycosaminoglycans and bound proteins that is commonly referred to as the glycocalyx. Solid tumors also have a dynamic fluid microenvironment with elevated interstitial flow. In the present work we further investigate the hypothesis that interstitial flow is sensed by the tumor glycocalyx leading to activation of cell motility and metastasis. Using a highly metastatic renal carcinoma cell line (SN12L1) and its low metastatic counterpart (SN12C) we demonstrate in vitro that the small molecule Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid (SAHA) inhibits the heparan sulfate synthesis enzyme …

Identification Of Adhd And Comorbid Disorders In Children: The Potential Role Of Minority Group Membership, Rachel H. Tayler

Dissertations and Theses

Identification of ADHD and Comorbid Disorders in Children: The potential role of minority group membership

by

Rachel Tayler, MSc, MA

Advisor: Sarah O’Neill, PhD

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects six million US children. Females, Latinx, and possibly Black children have lower rates of diagnosis than their Male and White non-Latinx peers. ADHD is behaviorally defined, and as such, clinicians' perceptions of symptoms and determination of diagnoses may be influenced by demographic factors such as race, ethnicity and sex.

This vignette study examined whether clinicians' implicit ethnic, racial, and sex biases affect diagnosis of ADHD and comorbid conditions. Psychiatry trainees and pediatricians …

Behavioral Predictive Analytics Towards Personalization For Self-Management – A Use Case On Linking Health-Related Social Needs, Bon Sy, Michael Wassil, Helene Connelly, Alisha Hassan

Publications and Research

The objective of this research is to investigate the feasibility of applying behavioral predictive analytics to optimize patient engagement in diabetes self-management, and to gain insights on the potential of infusing a chatbot with NLP technology for discovering health-related social needs. In the U.S., less than 25% of patients actively engage in self-health management even though self-health management has been reported to associate with improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. The proposed behavioral predictive analytics relies on manifold clustering to identify subpopulations segmented by behavior readiness characteristics that exhibit non-linear properties. For each subpopulation, an individualized auto-regression model and …

Genomic Epidemiology Of Clostridium Difficile Colonization And Transmission In An Intensive Care Unit Cohort, Brianne Ciferri

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

Genomic epidemiology of Clostridium difficile colonization and transmission in an intensive care unit cohort

by Brianne Ciferri, MPH

Advisor: C. Mary Schooling, PhD

Introduction: Clostridiodes difficile (C. difficile) is a leading cause of healthcare associated infections (HAI) in the United States and responsible for an estimated incidence of 223,900 cases and 12,800 deaths per year^1,2. C. difficile can cause gastrointestinal illness with symptoms ranging from mild diarrheal illness to a life-threatening condition. C. difficile is an opportunistic pathogen in which spores can live in an undisturbed dormant state within the intestinal tract and become …

Systematic Review Of Pathways To Care In The U.S. For Black Individuals With Early Psychosis, Oladunni Oluwoye, Beshaun Davis, Franchesca S. Kuhney, Deidre M. Anglin

Publications and Research

The pathway to receiving specialty care for first episode psychosis (FEP) among Black youth in the US has received little attention despite documented challenges that negatively impact engagement in care and clinical outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of US-based research, reporting findings related to the pathway experiences of Black individuals with FEP and their family members. A systematic search of PubMed, PsycInfo, and Embase/Medline was performed with no date restrictions up to April 2021. Included studies had samples with at least 75% Black individuals and/or their family members or explicitly examined racial differences. Of the 80 abstracts screened, 28 …

Stimulating The Facial Nerve To Treat Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review, Turner S. Baker, Justin Robeny, Danna Cruz, Alexis Bruhat, Alfred-Marc Iloreta, Anthony Costa, Thomas James Oxley

Publications and Research

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a common devastating disease that has increased yearly in absolute number of cases since 1990. While mechanical thrombectomy and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) have proven to be effective treatments, their window-of-efficacy time is very short, leaving many patients with no viable treatment option. Over recent years there has been a growing interest in stimulating the facial nerves or ganglions to treat AIS. Pre-clinical studies have consistently demonstrated an increase in collateral blood flow (CBF) following ganglion stimulation, with positive indications in infarct size and neurological scores. Extensive human trials have focused on trans-oral electrical stimulation …

Impact Of Forensic Medical Evaluations On Immigration Relief Grant Rates And Correlates Of Outcomes In The United States., Holly G. Atkinson, Katarzyna Wyka, Kathryn Hampton, Christian Seno, Elizabeth Yim, Deborah Ottenheimer, Nermeen Arastu

Publications and Research

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of forensic medical evaluations on grant rates for applicants seeking immigration relief in the United States (U.S.) and to identify significant correlates of grant success. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 2584 cases initiated by Physicians for Human Rights between 2008-2018 that included forensic medical evaluations, and found that 81.6% of applicants for various forms of immigration relief were granted relief, as compared to the national asylum grant rate of 42.4%. Among the study’s cohort, the majority (73.7%) of positive outcomes were grants of asylum. A multivariable regression analysis revealed …

Racial And Ethnic Data Reported For Peanut Allergy Epidemiology Do Little To Advance Its Cause, Treatment, Or Prevention, Nigel Mark Thomas

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Leveraging High-Resolution 7-Tesla Mri To Derive Quantitative Metrics For The Trigeminal Nerve And Subnuclei Of Limbic Structures In Trigeminal Neuralgia, Judy Alper, Alan C. Seifert, Gaurav Verma, Kuang-Han Huang, Yael Jacob, Ameen Al Qadi, John W. Rutland, Sheetal Patel, Joshua Bederson, Raj K. Shrivastava, Bradley N. Delman, Priti Balchandani

Publications and Research

Background: Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) is a chronic neurological disease that is strongly associated with neurovascular compression (NVC) of the trigeminal nerve near its root entry zone. The trigeminal nerve at the site of NVC has been extensively studied but limbic structures that are potentially involved in TN have not been adequately characterized. Specifically, the hippocampus is a stress-sensitive region which may be structurally impacted by chronic TN pain. As the center of the emotion-related network, the amygdala is closely related to stress regulation and may be associated with TN pain as well. The thalamus, which is involved in the trigeminal …

Aurora Kinase A Inhibition Reverses The Warburg Effect And Elicits Unique Metabolic Vulnerabilities In Glioblastoma, Trang T. T. Nguyen, Enyuan Shang, Chang Shu, Sungsoo Kim, Angeliki Mela, Nelson Humala, Aayushi Mahajan, Hee Won Yang, Hasan Orhan Akman, Catarina M. Quinzii, Guoan Zhang, Mike-Andrew Westhoff, Georg Karpel-Massler, Jeffrey N. Bruce, Peter Canoll, Markus D. Siegelin

Publications and Research

Aurora kinase A (AURKA) has emerged as a drug target for glioblastoma (GBM). However, resistance to therapy remains a critical issue. By integration of transcriptome, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (CHIP-seq), Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin sequencing (ATAC-seq), proteomic and metabolite screening followed by carbon tracing and extracellular flux analyses we show that genetic and pharmacological AURKA inhibition elicits metabolic reprogramming mediated by inhibition of MYC targets and concomitant activation of Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor Alpha (PPARA) signaling. While glycolysis is suppressed by AURKA inhibition, we note an increase in the oxygen consumption rate fueled by enhanced fatty acid oxidation (FAO), which was …

Effectiveness And Safety Of Oral Anticoagulants Among Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation Patients With Active Cancer, Steve Deitelzweig, Allison V. Keshishian, Yan Zhang, Amiee Kang, Amol D. Dhamane, Xuemei Luo, Christian Klem, Mauricio Ferri, Jenny Jiang, Huseyin Yuce, Gregory Y.H. Lip

Publications and Research

BACKGROUND Patients with cancer are more likely to develop nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Currently there are no definitive clinical trials or treatment guidelines for NVAF patients with concurrent cancer.

OBJECTIVES This subgroup analysis of the ARISTOPHANES study compared the risk of stroke/systemic embolism (stroke/SE) and major bleeding (MB) among NVAF patients with active cancer who were prescribed non–vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) or warfarin.

METHODS A retrospective observational study was conducted in NVAF patients with active cancer who newly initiated apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or warfarin from January 1, 2013, through September 30, 2015, with the use of Medicare and …

Apathy And Brain Atrophy During The First Year Of Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Longitudinal Study, Gulnaz Kudoiarova

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Apathy, defined as disinterest and loss of motivation, is a common complication after moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI). The existing body of research in various neurological and neurodegenerative disorders suggests that apathetic symptoms may be associated with variation in the volume of the brain regions such as dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and ventral striatum. However, the longitudinal pattern of TBI-induced atrophy in these key regions and its relationship with apathy symptoms remain to be demonstrated. The current study aimed to describe the atrophy pattern in the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc; part of ventral striatum) after …