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Primary objective: To determine whether critical flicker frequency (CFF) thresholds are abnormal in individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and, if so, if they are correlated with the degree of reported motion and light sensitivity. Methods and procedures: The foveal CFF threshold was assessed in individuals with mild TBI (n = 18) having varying degrees of reported light and motion sensitivity. Mean CFF values were obtained using the ascending and descending psychophysical method of limits with binocular viewing at 40 cm. A 7-item, rating-scale questionnaire was used to assess the degree of light and motion sensitivity. These parameters were also assessed in a large visually-normal, non-TBI cohort. Main outcomes and results: CFF in the mild TBI group was not significantly different across age groups from the visually-normal, non-TBI cohort. However, mean CFF among the mild TBI subjects was significantly higher for the 'light sensitive' and 'motion sensitive' sub-groups when compared to the 'not light sensitive' and 'not motion sensitive' sub-groups. The majority of TBI subjects manifested both light and motion sensitivity. Conclusion: CFF was found to be related to the reported degree of light and motion sensitivity in individuals with mild TBI. Neurological disinhibition as a result of brain injury may be causal of the subjective hypersensitivity to light and motion in the presence of normal CFF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusions. The Dutch (Belgium) translation of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) has proven to be as consistent as the original version. In addition to the three original subscales, factor analysis revealed a fourth component scoring self-perceived effects of insufficient functioning of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). Focus should be on the DHI total score in order to compare future results with the existing literature. Objective. To conduct a factor analysis and to determine its internal consistency. Materials and methods. Charts of 214 outpatients, referred with dizziness or imbalance of vestibular and non-vestibular origin, were reviewed. Results. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for internal consistency were high for the total scale and good for the subscales. Corrected item-total correlations ranged from 0.71 for 'restricted travelling' to 0.29 for 'difficulties reading', when items were correlated with their respective subtotals, and ranged from 0.69 (restricted participation in social activities) to 0.33 (stressed relationships), when correlated with the total score. A principal component analysis with orthogonal rotation was conducted, suggesting a four-factor solution. Two factors were related to vestibular handicap, referring to the original functional and emotional subcategories. The remaining two factors related to vestibular disability, documenting motion sensitivity (original physical subscale) and insufficient VOR functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]