Abstract
Objective: Auditory event-related potential (ERP) correlates of pre-dementia in late-life may also be sensitive to chronic effects of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in mid-life. In addition to mTBI history, other clinical factors may also influence ERP measures of brain function. This study's objective was to evaluate the relationship between mTBI history, auditory ERP metrics, and common comorbidities. Methods: ERPs elicited during an auditory target detection task, psychological symptoms, and hearing sensitivity were collected in 152 combat-exposed veterans and service members, as part of a prospective observational cohort study. Participants, with an average age of 43.6 years, were grouped according to positive (n = 110) or negative (n = 42) mTBI history. Positive histories were subcategorized into repetitive mTBI (3 + ) (n = 40) or non-repetitive (1–2) (n = 70). Results: Positive history of mTBI was associated with reduced N200 amplitude to targets and novel distractors. In participants with repetitive mTBI compared to non-repetitive and no mTBI, P50 was larger in response to nontargets and N100 was smaller in response to nontargets and targets. Changes in N200 were mediated by depression and anxiety symptoms and hearing loss, with no evidence of a supplementary direct mTBI pathway. Conclusions: Auditory brain function differed between the positive and negative mTBI groups, especially for repetitive injury, which implicated more basic, early auditory processing than did any mTBI exposure. Symptoms of internalizing psychopathology (depression and anxiety) and hearing loss are implicated in mTBI's diminished brain responses to behaviorally relevant and novel stimuli. Significance: A mid-life neurologic vulnerability conferred by mTBI, particularly repetitive mTBI, may be detectable using auditory brain potentials, and so auditory ERPs are a target for study of dementia risk in this population.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 2979-2988 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Clinical Neurophysiology |
Volume | 132 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command and from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium under Award No. W81XWH-13-2-0095. The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 820 Chandler Street, Fort Detrick MD 21702-5014 is the awarding and administering acquisition office. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and no official endorsement should be inferred.
Funding Information:
This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command and from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium under Award No. W81XWH-13-2-0095. The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 820 Chandler Street, Fort Detrick MD 21702-5014 is the awarding and administering acquisition office. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and no official endorsement should be inferred.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology
Keywords
- Auditory processing
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
- Concussion
- Event-related potentials
- Mild traumatic brain injury
- Military
- Veteran