Arithmetical difficulties in children with mild traumatic brain injury at the subacute stage of recovery

Aim. Arithmetical difficulties have been reported in pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) but the electrophysiological abnormalities underlying these impairments remain unknown. We therefore used event-related potentials (ERP) to investigate brain functioning during arithmetic in children at the subacute phase following mTBI. Method. Participants were 16 pediatric mTBI patients at the subacute phase of recovery (10 boys; mean age 10y 8mo) and 16 well-matched controls (11 boys; mean age 10y 9mo). All children were asked to solve single-digit addition problems of small (sum ≤ 10) and large problem size (sum > 10) with simultaneous recording of ERPs. Results. Children with mTBI performed significantly less accurately (mean 81 %) than controls (mean 91 %) on the large (p = .026) but not on the small problems (p = .171). We observed no group differences in the early ERP-components P1, N1, P2, and N2 (all ps ≥ .241), yet significant group differences (p = .019) emerged for the late positivity component LPC, for which patients (mean 8.35 µV) showed smaller mean amplitudes than controls (mean 12.95 µV). Interpretation. Immediately after the injury, arithmetical difficulties in children with mTBI are particularly pronounced on more complex arithmetical problems that are less automated. This is reflected in the ERP pattern with decreased LPC but normal N2 and early ERP-components.

Jaar van publicatie:2015

BOF-keylabel:ja

IOF-keylabel:ja

BOF-publication weight:3

CSS-citation score:1

Authors from:Higher Education

Toegankelijkheid:Open