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Objective: This study examined relationships among traumatic brain injury (TBI) severity, the Word Memory Test (WMT), and California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II). Method: Participants (N = 104) passed WMT validity indices and were categorized by TBI severity on the basis of medical records. Outcome measures included norm-referenced scores on the CVLT-II and WMT. Results: Participants grouped by TBI severity significantly differed on the CVLT-II but not WMT. Post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) significantly correlated with the CVLT-II but not WMT. In a non-medicolegal sample subset (N = 61), TBI severity groups significantly differed on CVLT-II and WMT FR; PTA significantly correlated with the CVLT-II and WMT FR. CVLT-II impairment groups differed on all WMT variables. Participants grouped by neuroimaging findings differed on CVLT-II but not WMT. WMT FR predicted two-level TBI severity using logistic regression but did not contribute in a model including the CVLT-II. Conclusion: Overall, WMT memory subtests appeared less sensitive to TBI severity than the CVLT-II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A special interest group of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine [ACRM; Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee. (1993). Definition of mild traumatic brain injury. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 8 (3), 86–87.] was the first organized interdisciplinary group to advocate four specific criteria for the diagnosis of a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). More recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborative Center Task Force on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury [Carroll, L. J., Cassidy, J. D., Holm, L., Kraus, J., & Coronado, V. G. (2004). Methodological issues and research recommendations for mild traumatic brain injury: the WHO Collaborating Centre Task Force on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, (Suppl. 43), 113–125.] conducted a comprehensive review of the definitions utilized in evidence-based studies with mild TBI patients. Based on this review, the WHO task force maintained the same four criteria but offered two modifications. The similarities and differences between these two definitions are discussed. The authors of the ACRM and the WHO definitions do not provide guidelines or specific recommendations for diagnosing the four criteria. Thus, we provide recommendations for assessing loss of consciousness, retrograde and post-traumatic amnesia, disorientation and confusion as well as clarification of the neurologic signs that can be indicative of a diagnosis of mild TBI. Finally, confounding factors mentioned in both definitions that should exclude a mild TBI diagnosis are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The Children's Orientation and Amnesia Test (COAT) was developed to assess posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) and cognitive functioning in children and adolescents who are in the early stages of recovery from traumatic brain injury. The COAT is composed of 16 items designed to assess general orientation, temporal orientation, and memory. The original norms are inadequate for several age groups because they were based on small sample sizes and may have been compromised by ceiling effects. In this study, normative data were collected for children between the ages of 8 and 13 (N = 248). Regression-predicted age norms were calculated and presented in tabular form. These results provide important reference data for interpreting COAT scores of children who have sustained traumatic brain injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective To compare neurocognitive outcomes between 3 traumatic brain injury (TBI) groups (mild, moderate, severe) across 3 TBI classification systems: Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Russell (mild <1 hour, moderate <24 hours and severe >24 hours) and the modified (mild <24 hours, moderate < one week and severe > one week) posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) systems. Method Private practice archival data were reviewed for ambulance/hospital documentation of lowest GCS and PTA duration. Exclusion criteria included ESL and failed tests of engagement. Tests included WAIS, WMS, WRAT, Halstead Reitan etc. Results There were 91 patients (16 mild, 30 moderate and 45 severe); 45 were male. Mean age and education was 30.9 and 12.6. Russell PTA classification yielded significant differences (t-tests) between mild and moderate TBI on 8 of 46 tests/measures and 13 differences in moderate versus severe and 24 differences in mild versus severe TBI. Differences were always severe > moderate > mild impairment, with most in psychomotor speed, memory, working memory and executive/frontal functions consistent with TBI. The modified PTA classification yielded 2 significant differences between mild and moderate, 6 differences between moderate and severe and 22 differences between mild and severe TBI. GCS yielded 0 differences between mild and moderate, 7 differences between moderate and severe and 14 differences between mild and severe TBI. The modified PTA and GCS reduced moderate TBI numbers and some differences were opposite expectations. Conclusions Russell PTA was superior to the modified PTA system and GCS in separation/discrimination (without reversals) and maintenance of moderate TBI as a substantive category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]