Rehabilitation of Working Memory and Brain Plasticity After Traumatic Brain Injury: Plastim-MDTC

Rehabilitation of Working Memory After Traumatic Brain Injury: Pilot Study of Brain Plasticity in Multimodal Advanced MRI

The aim of this study is to assess the brain correlates, as assessed with multimodal MRI, of working memory training in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI)

This is a pilot feasibility study. Patients with subacute/chronic (> 6 months) severe TBI will be included if they suffer from a deficit in working memory. They will receive a specific hierarchical training of working memory (3 sessions per week during three months), according to a previously described methodology.

A multimodal MRI will be performed at neuroSpin center (CEA, Orsay, France) before and after cognitive training, including: structural imaging (T1, FLAIR and diffusion tensor imaging, DTI); functional connectivity at rest; and functional activation during a working memory task (n-back).

Behavioral and imaging changes after training will be analysed individually and compared to a group of healthy controls matched for age, gender and education.

Inclusion Criteria:

• moderate to severe traumatic brain injury
• 6 months or more after the injury
• working memory deficit on cognitive testing

Exclusion Criteria:

• previous neurological or psychiatric condition
• severe behavioral troubles
• contra-indication to MRI
• pregnancy