The cognitive effects of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are increasingly becoming a relevant research focus. Recent research has shown that the cognitive effects exist for a longer time than previously assumed. The major areas in which individuals who have suffered mTBI have shown lasting deficits are executive functioning and executive control. The deficits are primarily presented through behavioral assessments, such as neuropsychological batteries. Two neuropsychological assessments that focus on frontal lobe functioning are the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (DKEFS) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neurological Symptoms (RBANS). Both of these batteries assess multiple aspects of executive functioning, some of which being inhibition, cognitive flexibility, impulse control, attention, and language. In this study, 91 participants, 26 concussed and 65 non-concussed undergraduate students were examined through both the RBANS and DKEFS assessment batteries. The concussed individuals were separated into two groups, those who have experienced a concussion over three years ago and those who have experienced a concussion less than three years ago. Results of this study showed significant differences in performance on multiple tasks amongst the three groups. It was found that individuals who were concussed three years ago or less performed significantly worse than individuals with concussions for over three years, and non-concussed individuals. Significant differences for the RBANS were found in the Language index [stats], and the Attention index. Differences in the DKEFS were seen in the fourth condition of the Color-Word Interference Task, which assesses inhibition and cognitive flexibility, as well as the second condition which is simple word reading. Additionally, significant differences were seen in the Category Switching condition of the Verbal Fluency task . Results of this study suggest that concussed individuals show significant cognitive impairments, particularly in language, attention, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, even three years after a mTBI; however, these symptoms seem to become less severe after several years. The results show that areas of cognition vital for success in an educational setting (i.e. language, attention, and cognitive flexibility), are impaired far longer than academic accommodations are provided.

Long lasting executive control deficits in young adults with a history of mild traumatic brain injury