Detection of Hemodynamic Changes in Traumatic Brain Injuries Population With Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy

The goal of this study is to be able to assess frontal lobe function in a rapid, objective, and standardized way, without the need for expertise in cognitive test administration. Such methods would be particularly helpful in mild traumatic brain injury, where objective measures are needed, and would greatly expand the capacity to make such assessments in standard clinical practice. Our goal is to recruit 100 subjects total in two groups of age, gender, and education matched subjects, as follows: TBI (n = 50) and non-TBI (n = 50). The subject will be asked to perform 2 computer-based cognitive tests while the fNIRS device is in place. The fNIRS sensor pads will record changes in blood oxy/deoxy hemoglobin concentrations in the underlying cortex. Data will be stored for post processing analysis. The main outcome measures will be: 1) a correlation of the fNIRS results between the TBI and non-TBI groups; 2) a correlation of the fNIRS results with the severity of the TBI within the TBI group. Finally, we plan to compare individual measurement from TBI patients with the healthy group.