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A prospective randomized placebo controlled trial off the efficacy of buspirone in treating post-TBI irritability or aggression. Buspirone, sold under the brand names Buspar and Vanspar, is primarily prescribed to treat anxiety disorders or short-term symptoms of anxiety and has not been specifically evaluated for treating irritability or aggression ...

Preliminary development of a standardized measure to assess the impact of aggression and irritability on participation in family and community life. Measuring impact is a new yet complementary approach to existing measures of the expression of irritability and aggression.

Develop, pilot and test a brief intervention for substance misuse accommodated for persons with recent moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Determine whether pre-morbid and co-occurring health conditions affect outcomes 5 years following acute rehabilitation for TBI.

It is estimated that approximately 25% of individuals with TBI experience sleep disordered breathing (SDB), which is characterized by periods of complete cessation of breathing (apnea) or marked reductions in airflow (hypopnea). Such sleep disturbances may cause or intensify a variety of TBI co-morbidities, such as depression, anxiety, irritability, ...

Recent estimates suggest that at least 50% of persons with TBI develop a chronic pain problem after their injury, including central pain, which is notoriously hard to treat. Although it is acknowledged by the healthcare community that the assessment and treatment of pain is crucial for improving quality of ...

Balance dysfunction is one of the most common and physically limiting issues associated with TBI. Chronic balance problems are common after TBI and present health care concerns because they place the individual at higher risk of falls, leading to further injury and they negatively impact quality of life. There ...

While attaining a sense of well-being is a primary goal of TBI rehabilitation, it remains elusive for many with TBI. Individuals with TBI tend to score in the marginal range on life satisfaction measures for many years after injury, to score low on subjective well-being measures, and to have ...

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of a structured, curriculum-based intervention to promote postinjury resilience and adjustment in individuals with traumatic brain injury. The Resilience and Adjustment Intervention (RAI) was developed based upon considerable clinical experience and research review. The RAI is implemented in-person in ...

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of a structured outpatient couples intervention program (Therapeutic Couples Intervention, TCI) on emotional well being and marital quality and functioning. The TCI was developed as a means of teaching survivors and their partners about the effects of brain injury ...

Researchers at Spaulding, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital have developed a new brain scanning procedure designed to detect consciousness in people who have difficulty following commands and communicating. These new fMRI techniques will be assessed and compared to the currently used bedside tests in order to ...

The specific aims of the Module project are: 1. To identify a combination of a small number of outcome measures (or items therefrom) whose items span a range suitable for clinical trials originating in acute rehabilitation (i.e., including patients with disorders of consciousness), and continuing to at least 1 ...

TBI is known to cause significant complications, including seizures, hypogonadism and depression. It is very difficult to predict who will experience these complications because people with similar trauma and comparable hospital and rehabilitative care often display very different outcomes. Recent research by our lab has shown that genetic variants ...

As part of our NIDRR funded RERC on Telerehabilitation (H133E090002), we have developed a novel mHealth system that can implement EMA technology. This system consists of smartphone “apps” (for android smartphones), a web-based clinician portal, and a 2-way communication platform connecting these elements. This integrated system supports self management ...

Severe traumatic brain injury is a catastrophic event that has devastating familial, economic, and societal consequences. Of patients who are in a minimally conscious state for at least 4 weeks, only approximately 50% will regain consciousness by 1 year (Giacino et al 2002). In the intensive care unit, step-down ...

The broad aim of our research is to improve functional outcomes of patients with TBI utilizing comparative effectiveness research (CER). The current project aims to identify variations in clinical practices and patient outcomes and identify evidence-based best clinical practices in acute rehabilitation of TBI patients. Traumatic brain injury is ...

Racial and ethnic minorities comprise an increasingly large proportion of the U.S. population and make up the majority of residents in certain areas. Historically, people in racial/ethnic minority groups are more likely than non-Hispanic Caucasians to experience health inequalities and have limited understanding of health issues.The first phase of ...

This study assesses the responsiveness and sensitivity of the Traumatic Brain Injury Quality of Life Measurement System (TBI-QoL) computerized adaptive tests (CATs) in two groups of individuals with TBI: those within the first year of injury and those who are more than one year after injury. The TBI-QoL is ...